Labour MP “uncomfortable” with gay adoption

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

Labour MP Tony Cunningham has told his local newspaper that gay couples should not be able adopt children because he is “uncomfortable with the idea.”

Mr Cunningham, who is Catholic, has voted against gay rights before, in 2002, he voted against gays and lesbians being given equal rights for adoption.

The MP told The Workington Times Star: “I was just uncomfortable with the idea and also think some of these children in care are vulnerable young people. Taking them out of care into the care of gay parents, can you imagine the name-calling they’d get at school?”

“What I’d like to see is a compromise. Some sort of consortium of adoption agencies from all branches of Christianity where gay people could go and be signposted in the direction to the part of that consortium that would deal with them.”

Liberal Democrat MP, Richard Younger-Ross echoed Mr Cunningham’s views in an interview with PinkNews.co.uk earlier this week.

He told PinkNews.co.uk: “The Catholic Church and others have spent a long time investing in and raising money for adoption facilities. That fundraising enables them to care for the child and family not just up to 16, but for life. It’s quite a unique service.

“The real danger is that these adoption agencies might be forced to consider gay couples and then religious people will not donate. Then you will end up with no funding.

“Gay people will not be able to go these agencies because they won’t exist.”