A historic step forward

The House of Lords recently voted by 168 votes to 122 in support of regulations, part of the new Equality Act, which will now be introduced in England, Wales and Scotland on 30 April. This will make it unlawful to discriminate against lesbian and gay people in the provision of services ranging from healthcare to hotels.

The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 make it unlawful to discriminate in the provision of goods, facilities and services on grounds of sexual orientation. Adoption agencies are exempt from the regulations until December 2008.

This vote for equality comes despite a very vocal campaign from the religious right who used children as young as seven in a demonstration in Parliament Square during the debate.

The Catholic Church threatened to close its adoption agencies rather than act against its beliefs if they were forced to place children with same-sex couples. Following the vote Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, the most senior Catholic in England and Wales said it “remains to be seen” whether the church will cooperate.

Ruth Kelly, Minister for Communities, said “These measures will help tackle the practical barriers and real, everyday problems faced by lesbian, gay and bisexual people. It cannot be right in a decent, tolerant society that a shopkeeper or restaurant can refuse to serve a customer because they are gay.

It cannot be right for a school to discriminate against a child because of their parents' sexuality or not to take homophobic bullying as seriously as they should."

The regulations prompted a very heated debate in both Houses of Parliament. This debate was continued outside with many religious groups opposing the right to equality for LGB people.

Lord Chris Smith said “It seems to me, in my simplistic way, that what they (the opponents of the regulations) are arguing for is quite simply the right to discriminate and the right to harass.”

Eventually common sense and the right to equal treatment for all prevailed. The legislation will be introduced with no exemptions. We await the first test case with interest.

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