MORE than half the dioceses have now voted on the new women-bishops legislation, and more than 90 per cent of votes are in favour. All the bishops, except one, have voted in favour, as have 92 per cent of clergy, and 90 per cent of laity. On Monday, Hilary Cotton, who chairs WATCH, said: "We are hugely encouraged by the voting so far. In almost all the dioceses, a mere handful of laypeople have voted against the legislation. With this extraordinarily high level of support, I cannot see any rationale that General Synod members might use to explain a second defeat in July."