Blair Pulls Plug on Same-Sex Adoption

KENILWORTH, 15 MARCH 2002 — The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has condemned Tony Blair’s decision not to support an amendment to the Adoption Bill that would have legalised adoption by same-sex couples.

GALHA Secretary George Broadhead said that Mr Blair’s decision to ditch the proposals was almost certainly because of his fear of an adverse reaction from religious groups and their allies in the right-wing press.

Mr Broadhead commented: “This is yet a further example of Tony Blair giving in to religious pressure. The Christian Institute has been running a major campaign opposing these amendments, and has published scurrilous propaganda to back up its case – including a book called Children as Trophies. The Christian Institute has organised one of its large-scale write-ins on the issue and has been lobbying hard in Parliament to scupper these amendments.”

Mr Broadhead added: “This will be a heavy blow to those same-sex couples who want to give a supportive and loving home to children who must now remain in care. Although single people can adopt, unmarried couples – including same-sex ones – cannot. It makes no sense. Many disadvantaged children will be denied a decent chance in life. Mr Blair’s increasing religiosity, and his anxiety to please religious interests, is bad news indeed for lesbian and gay rights.”

GALHA says that any attempt to amend the Bill so that unmarried heterosexual couples will be able to adopt, but same-sex couples will not, could be challenged under the Human Rights Act, although a recent ruling from the European Court on a French case set a bad precedent. In that instance, the Court ruled that member countries of the EU had the right to deny adoption to gay people if they chose to.