Posted on 01/26/2007 5:36:10 AM PST by NYer
Tony Blair faced growing revolt from Roman Catholic Labour MPs last night over his climbdown in the gay adoption controversy.
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A survey of more than half the 40 Catholics in the Government, who represent predominately working class constituencies, showed that the majority supported an opt-out to allow Catholic adoption agencies to turn away gay couples.
The Prime Minister was also warned by a senior Catholic bishop to expect a backlash by some of Britain's four million Catholic voters if he refused to grant the opt-out from new gay rights laws, while an opinion poll found the country was evenly divided on the issue.
Peter Kilfoyle, the MP for Liverpool Walton, predicted that the threat by bishops to shut their agencies would cause lasting political damage to the Labour Party.
"This is just yet one more reason not to vote for us," Mr Kilfoyle, a former minister, said.
"My constituents are not the most enlightened people. They would be viewed by the London liberal tendency that is pushing this agenda as reactionary.
"But they are decent people, with decent values, and they do not understand why the Government is doing this. They will react with disgust if any of the agencies do close. We will pay a heavy price and lose votes all over the country."
Joe Benton, the MP for neighbouring Bootle, said: "I have strong reservations over this. Nothing has persuaded me that it is right. There should be an exemption for the Church. We are getting ourselves into a terrible mess."
Another former minister said: "I am sure a deal will be done behind the scenes that will accommodate both sides. We badly need one."
The Bishop of Lancaster, the Rt Rev Patrick O'Donoghue, said Labour could no longer count on the traditional support from Catholics and the gay adoption row could further dent its popularity.
The bishop, normally seen as sympathetic to Labour, said: "I can see a backlash. While a lot of people don't understand the background to these issues and will vote as they always vote, many others will think about them and they will have influence in their work places and communities."
Polls following the 2005 general election suggested the support of Catholic voters gave Mr Blair the edge in Labour's narrow defeat of the Tories in terms of the overall number of votes cast, so large-scale defections could make an impact.
Scottish Catholics could also cause an upset in the elections to the Scottish Parliament in May.
The Muslim Council of Britain said it fully supported the "principled stand" by the Church leaders.
But John Reid, the most senior Catholic in the Cabinet, became the latest to oppose concessions. The Home Secretary took a swipe at Ruth Kelly, the Communities Secretary and a fellow Catholic, fuelling speculation that she may resign.
Quoting John F Kennedy, he said it was vital that a politician's religious beliefs did not interfere with their role as a public servant.
Mr Blair issued a brief statement that left little doubt that he has ruled out exemptions. He is expected to introduce proposals — which will be voted on by Parliament next month — for a "transition" period of about a year to allow the agencies to adapt to the new gay rights laws.
Mr Blair said: "I have always personally been in favour of the right of gay couples to adopt. Our priority will always be the welfare of the child," he said.
A YouGov poll today shows that 42 per cent of the public believe that Catholic adoption agencies should be exempted, while 43 per cent say they should not.
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Sadly, he doesn't realize that those are contradictory statements.
Speak for yourself, Mr. Kilfoyle.
We need to watch this carefully. The left in this country are taking notes.
This is the shape of things to come in the United States.
Rosie O'Donnell said "Christians" are as much a threat as Muslim terrorists.
In the UK they've decided to impose an "Equality Act"
that makes Rosie's point of view official policy.
A story on the new law says this in part:
"In December the government issued guidelines that called for schools to implement coercive measures for 'acceptance' of homosexuality even at religious schools. A Home Office document recommended that schools and teachers who failed enthusiastically to endorse homosexual 'rights' should be reported to police."
Link to full story is: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jan/07012401.html
"My constituents are not the most enlightened people."
My guess is that he was using the word "enlightened" somewhat sarcasticly, as some liberals consider "enlighted" and "liberal" to be almost synonyms.
Evidently not, look who they voted for.
Mr Blair is very good on foreign policy but on domestics as bad as any other lib.
Evidently only the religious views of anti-Catholics should be allowed to influence their decisions as public servants.
Or, perhaps, the anti-Catholic views of "Catholics." You know the old saying, "The only good Catholic is a bad Catholic.
"A survey of more than half the 40 Catholics in the Government, who represent predominately working class constituencies, showed that the majority supported an opt-out to allow Catholic adoption agencies to turn away gay couples."
But the majority of Catholic pols in the UK support Catholicism? Will wonders never cease!~! Unlike Catholic pols in the U.S.A., who are more responsible for mass child-killing and government-protected buggery than any other similarly-sized group in America.
Hm. Seems to me that the backlash has already happened- unfortunately for Ms Kelly, it was to her attempt to push through an exemption rather then from Catholics irritated at not being compromised with.
It's incidents like these that show how quickly Blair's authority is waning IMO, a lot of the opposition to her is coming from various Deputy Leadership candidates busily positioning themselves and much of the rest is coming from people looking for a stick to beat Blair with. The collapse of collective responsibility in the government really is incredible.
In Parliamentary terms btw this appears to be a done deal- bit late for a backlash to the backlash.
So the name of JFK is now being used to justify the denial of the fundamental human right of free exercise of one's religion?
Sodomy trumps Christianity.
Hmmm.
As a homosexual myself (check my profile), I find the whole thing desperately disgusting how the homosexual agenda is being allowed to deconstruct society's values.
My own experience and involvement over many years tells me that it won't stop here.
They won't stop until their requirements are met fully, and homosexuality is fully accepted as being of equal importance and equally as desirable as heterosexuality.
It's no coincidence that the large majority of homosexual males wanting to adopt children request boys. Think about it!
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