Cut all ties with Queen, says bishop

The Bishop of Birmingham has put a damper on the Queen's jubilee by calling for the Church of England to cut all ties with Parliament and the monarchy.

The Rt Rev Mark Santer, who retires in May, made his controversial breakaway call during the final speech to his diocese synod.

He said: "However deeply we may respect the dedication and service of our present Queen, I do not think that we can expect as a matter of course that, in 100 or even 50 years time, this country will still be a monarchy.

"The Church of England ought to prepare for that possibility by so modifying its relationship with the state, as to be relatively independent of any changes in the constitution of the country."

Today's report of Bishop Santer's anti-royalty stance comes after the Queen learned that fewer than half of 5,000 respondents to a survey by the Church Times wanted the monarch to remain head of the Church.