Ministers versus Catholics in UK gay rights row

Labour ministers were tonight campaigning against conservative Catholic groups seeking to opt out of gay rights laws amid reports of a Cabinet rift.
Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly was said by the Independent on Sunday to be engaged in an internal battle to allow Catholic adoption agencies to turn away same-sex couples.

Ms Kelly has been criticised for her links to the Catholic movement Opus Dei - which opposes abortion and artificial contraception and is accused of being secretive and elitist.

The row centres on the Equality Act passed last year, which bans discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services on the basis of sexual orientation in a similar way to rules on sex and race discrimination.
Detailed regulations being discussed now should give "full effect" to that legislation, Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said today.

He told the BBC Sunday AM programme: "We have introduced laws which prevent discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation; those laws should be given full effect.

"We do take the view in this country that you shouldn't be discriminated against on that basis and think that applies to everybody, whatever your religion."

According to reports, Ms Kelly had the backing of Prime Minister Tony Blair but was facing stiff opposition from other senior colleagues.

Critics have suggested Ms Kelly's links with Opus Dei render her unsuitable for a Cabinet role tackling discrimination.

Ms Kelly has repeatedly refused to say in interviews whether she thinks homosexuality is a sin, while insisting that her adherence to the group is a "private spiritual" matter that has no bearing on her job.

Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, said: "The Catholic Church has been exerting enormous pressure on Ms Kelly.

"The Archbishop of Birmingham, Vincent Nichols, even went so far as to threaten to close Catholic adoption agencies if gay couples were permitted to adopt.

"If Ms Kelly does give in to the demands, the regulations will be seriously undermined."

He added: "We now know that her adherence to Opus Dei is completely incompatible with her job in a government department that promises to protect people from the very discrimination the Catholic Church wants to practise."

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain - who introduced similar laws to Ulster -said there was no need to water them down for other parts of the UK.

The Cabinet had not yet made a decision, he said, but added that banning discrimination on any grounds was "a fundamental principle".

"We do not need to do something different in England and Wales because there is very, very clear legislation to protect the rights of children," he told ITV's Sunday Edition.

Openly gay Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw told the BBC Politics Show: "I'd be very surprised if the government was thinking of bowing to pressure from conservative Catholics.

"This Labour Party has an excellent record on equality, we've got rid of most of the discriminatory laws against lesbian and gay people."

Dr Evan Harris, president of the Liberal Democrat campaign for gay and lesbian equality, said the Government must "call the bluff" of religious groups.

He said: "The Catholic Church have threatened to stop their adoption work and even close homeless shelters if they are not allowed to discriminate and harass citizens who are gay or lesbian.

"So the Government must call their bluff and refuse public funding or public contracts to such organisations unless they agree to non-discrimination."

The Department for Communities and Local Government said there were "strong views" on all sides of the debate and it was "premature" to speculate on the regulations.

A spokesman said: "We are absolutely committed to bringing forward effective protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and fully recognise the value of gay and lesbian parents.

"The debate around better protection on the basis of sexual orientation has been beset by wild speculation on all sides.

"There have been absurd claims, for example, that ministers of religion will be forced to bless same-sex couples. Equally, there is no question of preferential treatment for an individual faith."