Discrimination in Goods and Services Update
Reports out today (22/01/07) suggest that Ruth Kelly is close to promising that the new regulations on sexual orientation discrimination in goods, facilities and services will have exemptions for religious adoption agencies. The Government is being lobbied heavily and MPs are receiving sackloads of letters from religious groups calling for the right to discriminate against lesbian, gay and bisexual people. MPs need to hear from those of us who want an end to such prejudice and discrimination. The exemptions being called for will mean LGB people could be turned away from hotels, guest houses, soup kitchens and other services; most shockingly the leader of the Catholic Church in England has said that he will close the Church's seven UK adoption agencies if they are forced to consider gay couples for adoption. We have fought so hard over the past three years on this issue; please ensure that you act today to preserve the rights of LGB people to live their daily lives free from discrimination and harassment.
Act now to save these regulations!
- Ask your MP to sign EDM 142
Desmond Turner MP has tabled Early Day Motion 142 on the subject, asking the Government to ensure that these regulations are passed in full, with only a doctrinal exemption. So far it has 114 signatures; it needs many more to get the attention of ministers.
Please urge your MP to sign the EDM. You can find out who your MP is by clicking here and entering your postcode.
- Sign the petition on the Prime Minister's web site
Please also sign the petition on the PM' s website, which you can access by clicking here.
- Write to your MP
It' s always best to write a letter in your own words. However you can use the letter below as a template if you're pushed for time.
{insert name} MP
House of Commons
Westminster
London SW1A 0AA
Dear {Insert name}
Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations
I am writing to express my support for robust legislation banning discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the provision of goods and services.
I welcome Part 3 of the Equality Act 2006, which outlaws discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods, facilities and services. However I am concerned that further exemptions to the regulations beyond the doctrinal exemption already proposed by the Government would themselves be discriminatory.
I also welcome the Northern Ireland Regulations and urge the Government to take the same approach for the rest of the UK - that any exemptions should only be for internal doctrinal matters such as baptism and confirmation. It should not be lawful to refuse lesbian, gay and bisexual people services offered to the public such as hospices, schools and adoption services.
Any watering down of these regulations would only serve as a green light for discrimination and would not deliver for lesbian, gay and bisexual people what religious groups and others already are entitled to.
Please pass on my views to the Government and let me know your views on this matter.
Yours sincerely
{Insert name}
Thank you for your support; we will keep you updated with any new developments.
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