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UK
Cabinet In Gay Rights Dispute
by
365Gay.com from the Web, January 21, 2007
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London -- The cabinet of Prime
Minster Tony Blair is reportedly divided over whether to exempt churches and
services they offer from equality laws protecting gays and lesbians.
The legislation is already in effect in Northern Ireland, and its provisions
covering England and Wales are currently being debated in the House of Lords.
The measure covers employment and the rendering of services. It would mean
companies cannot refuse jobs on the basis of sexuality, nor could they refuse
services to gay and lesbian customers.
But conservative church lobby groups are fighting it. They say it would
require organizations such as the Roman Catholic Knights of Columbus to rent
their halls to gay couples for civil partnership ceremonies and make it illegal
for the Church to refuse teaching jobs to gays or lesbians.
They also claim that it would force religious people who own bed and breakfasts
to rent rooms to gay couples and Catholic adoption agencies could not turn away
same-sex couples.
The Independent newspaper on Sunday reported that Communities Secretary Ruth
Kelly and several other government ministers, including Prime Minister Blair are
lobbying to have an amendment passed that would exempt churches and church
groups.
Sunday night, Constitutional Affairs Secretary Lord Falconer and environment
minister Ben Bradshaw both told the BBC that they exemptions to the law.
"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," Lord
Falconer told the BBC.
Some black churches have said that pastors and churchgoers would go to jail
rather than accept rules that would mean they had to open their meeting halls to
gay lobby groups. Catholic adoption agencies have said they fear they may
be forced to allow gay couples to adopt.
In March, Britain's High Court will hear an attempt by a Christian group, the
Christian Institute, to overturn the legislation in Northern Ireland.
Christian activists also have submitted a petition to Queen Elizabeth calling on
her to use her influence to get the bill quashed.
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