The six barristers and QCs have written to the Archbishop of Canterbury in a row over whether the ban on wine at Communion during the COVID-19 pandemic is based on a misinterpretation of the law.

The latest guidance from the House of Bishops forbids the drinking of wine from a shared cup at Communion, meaning that only bread is currently permitted.

However, the lawyers argue that the Bishops have misinterpreted the Sacrament Act 1547 to exclude the use of individual cups during Communion, The Telegraph reports.

They have called for the immediate reintroduction of wine in individual cups, asserting that neither the Canons of the Church of England nor the Book of Common Prayer stand in the way of this.