PLANS to give bishops the power to expel rebellious church wardens will be opposed in parliament by Burnley MP Peter Pike.

The Church of England move follows a row between the church hierarchy and a group of churchwardens in Norfolk who defied the sacking of their twice-divorced priest, Kit Chalcroft, after he married for a third time.

They defied the authority of the local bishop, arranged their own services and withheld collection money in support of their minister who has remained in post.

Now the church's ruling body, the General Synod, has moved to prevent similar embarrassments by passing the Churchwardens' Measure which will allow bishops to intervene to suspend churchwardens for any "good and reasonable reason."

But the measure may be blocked by MPs and peers when it comes under the scrutiny of the ecclesiastical committee of parliament and is debated by both Houses. Mr Pike, a member of the committee for 13 years, says he will oppose it.

The Burnley MP, a member of St Peter's parish church, said: "I certainly want to discover why bishops should want to take such extraordinary powers to themselves.

"This matter should be dealt with at a local level," he added.

Other MPs have described the church move as a "shocking attempt" to undo seven centuries of English church history and remove authority from lay officials.

A Church of England spokesperson said the measure was designed to be used only in very specific circumstances, such as when a churchwarden was allegedly involved in criminal activity.

At the moment the church had no power to intervene, she added.

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