Lords block equality proposals in response to faith group fears

The bill was put before the House of Lords yesterday and aimed to clarify the position surrounding churches' and religious groups' right to turn down applicants for senior roles whose sexuality is seen to contravene their religious doctrine.

It proposed to ensure that only those applicants whose main job was to promote or teach the particular doctrine, such as vicars, could still be legally refused a job. 

Under the proposals others, such as senior youth workers, could not legally be turned down for a job or sacked based on their sexuality.

But the House of Lords threw out these amendments by 216 to 178 votes. They backed pleas from church leaders who said that the changes would undermine their religious independence.

The future of the proposed changes is now in doubt. The government could still try and force the amendments through the House of Commons but with a general election looming there may not be enough parliamentary time available.

Speaking during the debate on the bill in the House of Lords yesterday, Baroness O'Cathain, who is opposed to the amendments, said: "How would a rape crisis centre operate if it was forced to employ male counsellors? This is the state trying to tell people who they can and can’t employ."