THE new Bishop of Blackburn has already signalled his arrival by speaking out against Posh and Becks' lust for publicity and the pitfalls of celebrity culture. But what are his views on other important issues?

Reporter SIMON HAWORTH met the Rt Rev Nicholas Reade two months into his new job to find out. . .

WOMEN PRIESTS

"I DO not personally ordain women priests. That is my choice based on history and tradition. Women priests are part of the diocese. I rejoice that we have women clergy in the Church of England and I will hope to build up the numbers of women clergy in the diocese.

"The church is a level-playing field but we still have a long way to go to change the culture.

"I would hope I would treat women priests every bit as equal as male priests. We have to break down any prejudice.

"I will be with the women priests in the diocese on Friday rejoicing for 10 years of history of women priests."

HOMOSEXUALITY

"We cannot have same-sex marriages as there is no provision for it in the Church.

"I have always taken the biblical and the traditional teaching of the Church on the issue of homosexuality.

"We are not a Church that walks around and makes things up as we go along.

"A life-long heterosexual marriage is the setting we believe intended by God for the proper development of men and women as sexual beings. Clergy of whatever sexual orientation are expected to abstain from physical activity outside of marriage.

"But there is no place for homophobia in the church. God's love is for everyone whatever their sexual orientation.

"As far as having a homosexual bishop, it is clear that would not be acceptable to parts of the Anglican communion.

"I hope, through love and charity and great respect, we can hold together and find a way forward on this issue.

THE BNP

"The Church doesn't tell people how to vote. The Church can say which party we should not vote for. Because of the politics of the British National Party we should not vote for that party.

"Their policies are contrary to the gospel. People should use their vote positively. I do not see a vote for the BNP as a positive vote.

CHURCH NUMBERS

"We cannot be complacent but the situation is much better than the media generally have you believe.

"Things are better in Lancashire than I believe almost anywhere else. We have got to get beyond the Sunday figures, I am enormously impressed by the numbers in Sunday Schools for example.

"However, we do have to take risks and look at look at new ways of bringing people to church.

"Some churches in other areas of the country are having services at 10pm on a Tuesday, which is interesting.

"It's more a question of not saying to people: 'Here we are in this 17th Century building, come to us'.

"We have to go to them. I want to create a communion where people are going to be bold enough to take risks."

BEING THE BISHOP

"I have been in post for two months and 11 days but I feel I have lived here for a long time. We feel very settled. I must have visited every area of the diocese already and met an enormous number of people.

"What I really like most about the job is going out to confirmations. I am delighted to see that there are a lot of young people still being confirmed, which is very encouraging.

"I have also been to the opening of two schools ,which I found very thrilling.

"You have to remember the Bishop of Blackburn isn't just the bishop for Lancashire. I will meet the 44 diocese bishops to discuss issues on a national level too."

THE AREA

"When I am in the north of the county I feel like a rural bishop almost like I was in Sussex but in the archdeaconry of Blackburn I feel like an urban bishop.

"What made a really deep impression on me was going around parts of Burnley and seeing places where the housing was obviously very poor and where you can pick-up houses incredibly cheaply.

"It was incredibly eye-opening for me.

"It was not what I would expect to find in the year 2004 and I would hope very much that a lot will be done to improve that.

"I was taken around Ewood Park on a match day and since then an enormous number of people have come up to me and said I saw you at the football.

"Rovers had not won at home for five months. When I went it was a 1-0 win and since then they didn't lose a game for a long time until last Saturday. I seem to be good luck.

"So they kindly said to me you can have a season ticket for next season!"