No exemption from equality for religious adoption agencies

10.10.40am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 23rd Jan 2007

Commenting on the reports that Cardinal Murphy O'Connor has said the church would rather close adoption agencies than comply with anti-discrimination legislation for gay couples in civil partnerships, Dr Evan Harris MP, President of the Liberal Democrat Campaign for Gay & Lesbian Equality (DELGA), said:

"There must be no capitulation over equal rights. Some religious organisations do good work in the voluntary sector, but If they want to continue to provide public and welfare services then they must do so in full compliance with civilised rules on equal treatment on grounds of sexual orientation just as with race and gender."

"It is rather sordid that the Catholic leadership should seek to try and blackmail Parliament and Government by threatening to close down its valuable work in adoption and other areas, particularly by using vulnerable groups like children in care to fight its ideological battle"

"But by these actions they are risking the future involvement of religious organisations in public services because welfare for the vulnerable cannot be put at risk by reliance on organisations who threaten to pull out rather than apply the law . Perhaps a phased withdrawal of such religious organisations from public welfare functions and their replacement with secular-governed agencies is the best way forward?"

Dr Harris, a member of the influential Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, added:

"Religious groups have the right to hold their own sincere views on the acceptability of gay relationships, and to apply them to strictly religious or private matters, but they have no right to extend them into public or commercial functions. In those circumstances the Good Samaritan cannot pick and choose"