Kelly urged to quit equality post
The Liberal Democrats yesterday called for Ruth Kelly to resign her responsibilities for equality because of her strong Catholic beliefs.
Equality spokeswoman Lorely Burt said the communities and local government secretary was “unsuitable” for her position of championing gay rights.
She was responding to reports that Ms Kelly is blocking regulations under the Equality Act 2006 that would ban discrimination over the provision of goods and services, amid concerns of its impact on faith organisations.
The rules would ensure hotels could not ban gay couples from sharing a room and force gay bars to allow heterosexual people in, but also ensure Catholic adoption agencies could not block gay couples regardless of their views on homosexuality.
They were due to come into effect in October, but will now not be introduced until next year. According to the Observer, the delay is down to a rift in the cabinet about the regulations, with Ms Kelly, a devout Catholic, leading the opposition.
Commenting on the reports, Ms Burt said: “We fully believe in the rights of all groups to freedom of speech, whatever the views they espouse may be.
“However, in any commercial sphere we should not allow any individual or group belief to justify discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, gender or sexual orientation.
“The government must not water down these proposals. We had always feared that Ruth Kelly’s personal beliefs would make her unsuitable to be a champion of gay rights.
“Unfortunately these fears have become reality and she should now stand down.”
A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) rejected the newspaper’s claims as “nonsense”, and said the delay in introducing the regulations was caused by the “huge response” to the consultation.
“We are absolutely committed to bringing forward proposals that provide effective protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,” he said.
He added: “This is a complex area so it is only right that we take the time to consider them fully and carefully to make sure our proposals are workable and provide effective protection from discrimination.”
Debating the new regulations in the Lords earlier this year, Baroness Ashton – for the government – said that activities linked to religious observance and practice that come from basic doctrines would be exempt from the laws.
But she stressed: “Where the main purpose of an organisation linked to a faith organisation is commercial, it may not be exempt and that where faith organisations are operating on behalf of public authorities, they should be covered by the regulation.”
