"Duplicitous betrayal" – Evan Harris on goverment and the Equality Bill
Thinking Anglicans have the voting numbers on the four amendments to the Equality Bill yesterday.
The Guardian reports on some strange goings-on between the government and the EU commission on the subject of this bill, involving a “secret” “reasoned opinion” document :
TweetThe text of the document, which has not been made public until now, has led to criticisms that the government has told parliament and religious organisations that the law will remain the same, while assuring the EU the law would be strengthened. “This is a duplicitous betrayal of the rights of gay and lesbian church workers,” said Evan Harris, the Liberal Democrat equality spokesman, who received a leaked copy of the legal document. “The government have been keeping secret this letter in order to hide from parliament … they appear to have told the EU that they will narrow the law in the equality bill in order to comply with the directive, while telling parliament and the public that there is no narrowing.”
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8 Responses to “"Duplicitous betrayal" – Evan Harris on goverment and the Equality Bill”
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Burbler-in-chief
Well, you know, I really don’t want these people coming out to bat for my side, so to speak. If I worked for a homophobic organisation, I’d deprive them of my very good services, and, as their man said, shake their dust from my feet on the way out.
I really do not want a bunch of politicians forcing them to take me on through gritted teeth.
Good point Jock. Understood. The thing is that there are many gay and lesbian people already working in and welcomed to the bosom of the Church of England (for example) as church workers and as priests and as bishops. And I have heard, from insders, that that applies to both orientation and activity. So the characterisation of the CofE as homophobic, which I understand when you see people like the Bishop of Winchester in full flow, is deceptive. I have heard many insiders actually describe many parts of the CofE as very very gay/lesbian friendly. Take Southwark Cathedral/diocese as an example.
Yes, on the one hand there is the Bishop of Winchester. But on the other hand look at dear old Lord Harries, former Bishop of Oxford. He was the one who wanted to appoint Jeffrey John as Bishop of Reading in the first place. And yesterday he voted for the government amendment, and he made a very effective intervention showing up the Bishop of Winchester’s position as rather strange, not to say, silly. He’s a good old stick is old Harries.
PS It’s worth noting that the Bishop of Southwark, although he works just a 15 minutes walk from the House of Parliament, didn’t vote yesterday.
I can understand why gay people don’t want Christians “batting for their side” so to speak, but loads of Christians ARE gay, that’s the point! In fact there are loads of gay people in the Church of England, including many priests and quite a few bishops! Some places are very gay friendly and yet the “official” position is that there are no LGBT people in the Church – or only celibate ones.There is a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy – it is hypocritical, can be damaging and is also incredibly immature in my opinion!
More people in the Church itself need to speak out and come out! But how difficult is this when there are laws allowing all sorts of discrimination?
Honest request, would somebody explain in a couple of sentences the jist of what this is all about?
Sorry. My mistake. Government wanted to clarify law on which Church jobs can receive discrimination upon selection (eg Catholic priests’ jobs are only open to single men). Government’s proposal was rejected by the House of Lords. Government had received strong advice from EU to clarify the law but kept correspondence secret.
OK, so I presume members of the cloth wanted to maintain or uphold descrimination within its employment policy?
Got it in one! —————