Equality bill: politics vs pope
Published: 5 February 2010
Author: Rose Gamble
[ 5 ] Recommendations
The pope suggested Harman's Equality Bill may simply serve to restrict people further
The Equality Bill, starting life as a mere line in Labour’s 2005 election manifesto, has become a focal point for political and public battle – largely due to Harriet Harman (Minister for Women and Equality) putting her political weight behind it.
The bill - tackling discrimination of class, religion, race and sex - has hit the headlines time and time again, being bounced about in parliamentary debate and snatched by human rights campaigners.
On Tuesday 2nd February, the pope, addressing bishops in a five-yearly conference in Rome, made a deliberate reference to the Equality Bill, accusing it of restricting "natural law".
He said: "The effect of some of the legislation designed to achieve this goal [of equality] has been to impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs. In some respects it actually violates the natural law upon which the equality of all human beings is grounded and by which it is guaranteed."
His remarks were aimed at amendments to the Equality Bill, which would make it harder for churches to exclude job applications from homosexuals or people who have changed their gender.
The bill, intended to promote freedom, is ironically (according to the Pope) serving only to enforce restrictions.
In 2007, Exeter Christian Union became embroiled in a case where they were told by an independent QC that Muslims should be able to lead the Christian Union, should they agree with its principles. It was, claimed the QC, an active act of discrimination to restrict the position to Christians. The case, hitting the press headlines, was held up as an example of common sense defying ideology, wasting time and money.
The issue of religious communities being forced to employ against their beliefs, remains at the forefront of debate.
Harman has retreated from a confrontation with religious leaders, making clear that she will not force contentious amendments to the Equality Bill
Writing in The Times on 3rd February, Lord Sacks, the Chief Rabbi, said:
“There are times when human rights become human wrongs ... a political ideology, relentlessly trampling down everything in their path. This is happening increasingly in Britain, and it is why the Pope’s protest against the Equality Bill ... should be taken seriously.”
Other religious leaders warned that the amendment would serve to privatise religion – forcing a separation between belief and the workplace. A move the Bishop of Chichester, the Rt Reverend John Hind, described as “profoundly dangerous".
Interestingly, the government have been quick to back down – releasing a statement today that they have duly noted papal intervention. Harman has retreated from confrontation with religious leaders, making clear that she will not force contentious amendments to the Equality Bill through Parliament.
Instead the revised amendment clarified - rather than changed - existing law, stating that churches were exempt from discrimination legislation when appointing priests and other “religious” posts, but that they must comply with its terms for “non-religious” jobs, such as youth workers or accountants.
Church leaders may be exempt, but the bill remains a point of caution. Sam Stephens, founder of executive search company Macaulay Search, has noted caution amongst employers in employing a Christian in a faith-related role, for fear of an accusation of being discriminatory.
“I’ve had clients where there has been disagreements internally and usually the cautious view prevails,” he told Sideways News.
“I think it [the Equality Bill] does matter to any Christian organisation. I think it’s very hard if you are a company who would like to recruit Christians. It’s not that they absolutely can’t but people don’t really know where they stand so tend to be extremely cautious.”
SIDEWAYS News for fresh perspectives
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The Equality Bill, starting life as
a mere line in Labour’s 2005 election manifesto, has – largely due to Harriet
Harman, Equality Minister, putting her political weight behind it – become a
focal point for political and public battle. The bill, tackling discrimination
in the face of class, religion, race and sex has hit the headlines time and
time again, bounced about in parliamentary debate and has been snatched by
human rights campaigners.
On Tuesday the Pope, addressing
Bishops in a five-yearly conference in Rome, made a deliberate reference to the
equality bill, accusing it of restricting ‘natural law.’
He said: "The effect of some of
the legislation designed to achieve this goal [of equality] has been to impose
unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance
with their beliefs. In some respects it actually violates the natural law upon
which the equality of all human beings is grounded and by which it is
guaranteed."
His remarks were aimed at amendments
to the equality bill, which would make it harder for churches to exclude job applications
from homosexuals or people who have changed their gender.
The bill, intended to promote
freedom, is ironically – according to the Pope –serving only to enforce
restrictions.
In 2007, Exeter Christian Union
became embroiled in a case where they were told by independent QC that Muslims
should be able to lead the Christian Union, should they agree with its
principles. It was, claimed the QC, an active act of discrimination to restrict
the position to Christians. The case, hitting the press headlines, was held up
as an example of common sense defying ideology, wasting time and money.
The issue of religious communities
being forced to employ against their beliefs, remains at the forefront of
debate.
Writing in The Times on 3rd
February, Lord Sacks, the Chief Rabbi, said:
“There are times when human rights
become human wrongs ... a political ideology, relentlessly trampling down
everything in their path. This is happening increasingly in Britain, and it is
why the Pope’s protest against the Equality Bill ... should be taken
seriously.”
Other religious leaders warned the
amendment would serve to privatise religion – forcing a separation between
belief and the workplace. A move the Bishop of Chichester, the Rt Reverend John
Hind, described as “profoundly dangerous.”
Interestingly, the Government have
been quick to back down – releasing a statement today that they have duly noted
Papal intervention. Harman has retreated from a confrontation with religious
leaders, making clear that she will not force contentious amendments to the
Equality Bill through Parliament.
Instead the revised amendment
clarified, rather than changed, existing law, stating that churches were exempt
from discrimination legislation when appointing priests and other “religious”
posts, but that they must comply with its terms for “non-religious” jobs, such
as youth workers or accountants.
Church leaders may be exempt, but
the bill remains a point of caution. Sam Stephens, founder of executive search
company Macaulay Search, has noted caution amongst employers in employing a
Christian in a strongly faith related role, for fear of an accusation of being
discriminatory.
“I’ve had clients where there has
been disagreements internally and usually the cautious view prevails,” he told
Sideways News. “I think it [the equality
bill] does matter to any Christian organisation. I think it’s very hard if you
are a company who would like to recruit Christians. It’s not that they
absolutely can’t but people don’t really know where they stand so tend to be
extremely cautious.”
