OutRage!: Govt bowing to religious extremists
Monday, 16 Oct 2006 13:58
Peter Tatchell of gay activist group OutRage! has condemned the government after reports suggested Ruth Kelly tried to block laws which would ensure equal access to services for gay people.
Backed by Tony Blair, the devoutly Catholic communities secretary allegedly tried to delay the enforcement of equality laws because of concerns about how they would affect faith schools and religious adoption services.
"Yet again the government appears to be caving in to pressure from religious extremists," Mr Tatchell told politics.co.uk.
"It calls into question the sincerity of the government's commitment to lesbian and gay human rights."
He warned that if religious organisations were exempt from the provisions of the Equality Act 2006, it would "create two tiers of law with gay people relegated to second class citizens".
"In a democracy there should be one law for everyone – religious beliefs can never be a legitimate justification for discrimination," Mr Tatchell added.