BHA 'dismayed ' at legal approval for adoption agency bigotry.
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
12:00 AM
The British Humanist Association has expressed its dismay at the decision today by Mr. Justice Briggs that the Charity Commission must reconsider its policy of promoting equality for gay people by preventing religious adoption agencies from discriminating against them.
'We entirely support the Charity Commission in seeking to secure rights for lesbian and gay people in accordance with what our national parliament has decided and what public opinion supports. It is immoral for adoption services to consider anything other than the needs and rights of children and placing them with the families that will provide the most loving, stable and appropriate environment for their development and wellbeing. To allow religious dogma and prejudices to interfere in the just provision of these services fails children, as well as lesbian, gay and bisexual people.
'This is a bad judicial decision in obvious contradiction to government policy and the decision of Parliament.'
Notes
For further comment or information, please contact Andrew Copson, 020 7079 3583.">
The British Humanist Association was founded in 1896 and is the national charity promoting Humanism, campaigning for a secular state and an open society and representing and supporting non-religious people.
Disclaimer: Press releases published on this page are from key opinion formers
who promote their organisation's activities by subscribing to a campaign site within
politics.co.uk. politics.co.uk does not endorse, edit, or attempt to balance the
opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases are wholly the responsibility
of the originating company or organisation.
Tony Blair has confirmed Catholic adoption agencies will not be exempt from new gay equality legislation, saying there was "no place" for discrimination in Britain.
There will be no exemption for Catholic adoption agencies from laws forcing them to allow gay and lesbian couples to adopt a child, the education secretary has said.
Government divisions over gay adoption spread to the Conservatives as David Davis said Catholic agencies should not have to help gay couples adopt a child.
Catholic adoption agencies helping about 4,000 children find families each year could be closed if new gay rights legislation is enforced, a senior cleric has warned.
The new equalities minister has changed her mind on the issue of gay adoption, just days after accepting the post to cries of disapproval from activists.
Charles Clarke today accused the Conservatives of turning the general election into the most "unpleasant and pernicious" campaign ever seen.
MPs last night approved the sexual orientation regulations, voting to outlaw discrimination against gay people by business and service providers.
Charles Clarke today accused the Conservatives of turning the general election into the most "unpleasant and pernicious" campaign ever seen.
Hutton dismayed by reactions to report
Newsletter sign up