The House of Lords passed the Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure on Tuesday night.
The vote followed a debate in which Baroness Perry praised the “immense patience” of Church of England women clergy, the Archbishop of Canterbury emphasised the need to remain a “broad Church”, and Lord Cormack welcomed the provision for traditionalists.
Lady Perry said that women clergy had been snubbed by male colleagues and criticised “because their high-heels clonked”, and it had been “infinitely humiliating” to see the Church “reject the potential of those wonderful women within it”. One “very senior” woman had found that male colleagues failed to invite her to important meetings. Yet such women remained “patient and conciliatory”.