Two senior MPs have threatened the Church of England with a battle in Parliament and the prospect of legal challenges if it fails to approve women bishops on Tuesday.  

Two Labour MPs, former Cabinet minister Frank Field and Chris Bryant, a former Anglican priest warned that the Church of England’s position as the established Church could be called into question if the General Synod rejects the plan, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The Synod is set to decide whether to admit women to the episcopacy at a special sitting in London.  

Despite strong support throughout the Church for the move, the outcome was described as on a “knife-edge” because of the need to secure two thirds support in all three of its branches: bishops, clergy and laity.

MPs, who must approve any Synod decision before it receives Royal Assent, warned that a failure to approve the proposal could undermine the Church of England’s position as the established Church.

Mr Bryant said the legislation would face a “rough ride” in Parliament if there were any further concessions to traditionalists. “If the legislation leans too far towards the traditionalist that won’t please the Commons and the legislation would have trouble,” he said.

“There are quite a few of us who think that the way this is leaning is entrenching forever a religious apartheid within the Church of England.”

He added that a rejection would “undoubtedly undermine” support for aspects of establishment, including bishops in the Lords and the role of Parliament approving Church laws.

Frank Field, a former Labour minister who sits on the parliamentary ecclesiastical committee, said that in the event of a no vote, he would table a motion to remove the Church’s special exemptions from equality laws.

“It would mean that they couldn’t continue to discriminate against women,” he said.