Lib Dems: Ruth Kelly unfit to champion equalities
Written by Rob Fenwick on 16th October 2006 – 12:28 pmThe Guardian reports that Lib Dem equalities spokesperson Lorely Burt has called on Ruth Kelly to resign.
Kelly, a member of the ultra-conservative Catholic group Opus Dei is the cabinet secretary responsible for defending, among other things, gay rights.
Lorely Burt said: “We had always feared Ruth Kelly’s personal beliefs would make her unsuitable to be a champion of gay rights. Unfortunately these fears have become reality and she should now stand down.”
Posted in News
16th October 2006 at 12:38 pm
Totally agree, I have emailed Lorely asking if she’d be prepared to expand on her comments for MayorWatch where I intend to make as big an issue of this as possible.
When you consider Kelly is telling Muslims to tackle religious extremism we shouldn’t be allowing hers own extreme views to go unchecked.
16th October 2006 at 4:05 pm
“We shouldn’t be allowing her extreme views to go unchecked…” Hang on, isn’t this a Liberal website? Is being a Catholic extreme now in Britain? Thinking of going back to burning the so and so’s at the stake, are we? “Views” are just views and in a liberal world should flourish entirely unchecked. Actions are sometimes a problem, but the only action you are holding against Ruth Kelly is a refusal to endorse policies which go against her conscience. Britain could do with a lot more of that kind of principled behaviour, whether one agrees with her on this issue (I don’t) or not.
16th October 2006 at 4:44 pm
Tom Paine’s post makes no sense. Kelly is a government minister. Either it is government policy for homosexuality to be regarded as sinful, in which case of course she shouldn’t be foreced to resign, or it isn’t, in which case Kelly is abusing her position.
I was under the impression that the latter was the case, in which case her position is looking problematic.
16th October 2006 at 5:12 pm
James
“or it isn’t, in which case Kelly is abusing her position”
wouldn’t be the first time a Roman Catholic abused something…
17th October 2006 at 6:18 pm
Oh, cheap, Martin, cheap.
17th October 2006 at 7:09 pm
I know.
I was almost ashamed of myself but then I remembered the teachings of the Cult of Rome on the issue of homosexuality and suddenly felt less guilty.
20th October 2006 at 10:47 am
Tom,
Opposing discrimination is a matter of conscience. Somebody who is pro discrimination shouldn’t be given the anti-discrimination job whatever their reasons are. Calling such a position anti-Catholic is an insult to Catholics and an attempt to undermine free political debate.
See my blog post here.