THE new Bishop of Winchester has taken his seat in the House of Lords.
The Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen was introduced to the upper chamber in a short ceremony where they swore the oath of allegiance to the King.
The 64-year-old joins the Lords Spiritual, who have 26 places reserved in the unelected house for senior Church of England bishops, including the archbishops of Canterbury and York.
The senior Anglican cleric, who previously served as Bishop of Truro, was supported in the Lords by the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Paul Butler, and the Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Sarah Mullally.
Mr Mounstephen, whose appointment was announced earlier this year, is the 98th bishop of the Winchester diocese, which covers 255 parishes across most of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and part of Dorset.
He will be formally welcomed at a service of installation in Winchester Cathedral in January.
His new post marks a return to the diocese for the bishop, who was born in Hampshire and who studied English Literature at the University of Southampton.
Following a short career in teaching, he was ordained in the diocese of Oxford in 1988, where he also served his curacy.
Other roles he has previously held include chaplain of St Michael’s Church in Paris, where he ministered in English and French.
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