Harriet Harman's law 'will force churches to hire gays'

Published 25th Jan 2010

Churches could be forced to hire homosexuals and transsexuals against the tenets of their faith when employing staff under planned Labour equality laws, it was claimed yesterday.

The new Equality Bill could require them to take on candidates who do not fit in with their religious doctrine when recruiting key staff such as faith school headteachers or youth workers.

At the moment, organised religions have a special status that lets them turn down applicants whose lifestyles conflict with the churches' beliefs, even if they are otherwise well qualified for the job.

But religious leaders are concerned the proposed law will restrict their ability to employ lay people who share their values.

The Bill - introduced by Equality Minister Harriet Harman in the Commons last year - is being debated in the Lords today.

Churches and mosques are allowed to reject candidates for jobs as ministers or priests if they are actively homosexual, if they have changed their sex or are women.

It also extends to key staff who promote the religion such as faith school heads.

But many in the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches fear that new wording proposed by the Government will undermine this right. The Government insists it will not, and merely clarifies the law.

Now three Anglican bishops have issued a statement warning that churches could find themselves vulnerable to legal challenges under the proposals.

The Government had 'produced no convincing case for change,' said the bishops of Winchester, Exeter and Chester. The bishops have written to members of the House of Lords urging them to vote down what they see as a weakening of the churches' special status.

However, a spokesman for the Government Equalities Office said: 'In the case of ministers of religion and other key jobs that promote and represent religion, the Bill recognises that a church may need to impose requirements regarding, for example, sexual orientation. The Bill absolutely does not stop religious organisations recruiting someone of the same faith where this is a requirement of the job.'

But in their statement, the three bishops fear the Government has 'produced words which will still create difficulties for churches and religious groups'.

They added: 'This despite our raising the problem many months ago and offering various ways of resolving the issue.'

They are backing an amendment that will maintain the status quo.

A Government spokesman said: 'The Equality Bill will not change the existing legal position regarding churches and employment. It simply clarifies the current law to ensure a balance is maintained between the rights of people to manifest their religion and the right of employees not to be discriminated against.'

Liberal Democrat equality spokesman Dr Evan Harris said workers must be entitled to protection from employers. He added: 'Christian youth workers should be entitled to protection from their employer over their lawful private sexual behaviour and you should not be able to sack a good headteacher for getting divorced.'

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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