First Church Of England Woman Bishop Named

The first woman bishop in the Church of England has welcomed her appointment as a "historic day", saying it was not just a "gesture".

The church announced the Reverend Libby Lane would become the Bishop of Stockport 20 years after the first women were ordained as Church of England priests.

It ends 40 years of wrangling within the church and comes four weeks after it finally enacted the changes to canon law necessary to allow the appointment.

In her first speech after the announcement, the new Bishop of Stockport led a silence and prayer for the victims of the Pakistan school massacre .

Speaking in Stockport Town Hall, she said it was an "unexpected joy", a "great honour" and a "historic day" for the Church of England.

"This moment is significant, but it is not simply a gesture. I'm the first, but I won't be the only," she said.

Mrs Lane paid tribute to all those who had fought the long and hard campaign for women bishops.

The 48-year-old, who was ordained a priest in 1994 and served as vicar of St Peter's Hale, Greater Manchester, for the last eight years, will be consecrated at a ceremony at York Minster on 26 January.

Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed her appointment and said legislation to allow women bishops to sit in the House of Lords would be brought forward.

Mr Cameron said: "This is a historic appointment and an important step forward for the Church towards greater equality in its senior positions."

It is expected the new legislation will be announced on Thursday.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, said: "I am absolutely delighted that Libby has been appointed to succeed Bishop Robert Atwell as Bishop of Stockport.

"Her Christ-centred life, calmness and clear determination to serve the Church and the community make her a wonderful choice.

"She will be bishop in a diocese that has been outstanding in its development of people, and she will make a major contribution. She and her family will be in my prayers during the initial excitement, and the pressures of moving."

The issue of women becoming bishops was first voted on by the General Synod in 1975. It was concluded that there was "no fundamental objection" to the ordination of women to the priesthood.

However, the first motion failed in 1978. In 1985 a vote allowed women to become deacons but it was not until 1992 the General Synod voted to allow women priests - the first 1,500 were ordained in 1994.

In 2005 a motion was approved to remove the legal barriers to women bishops but the first attempt at legislation failed by six votes in 2012.

The vote finally succeeded in July.