Politics
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21 March 2007MEPs want to investigate Polish “Section 28″ law 1 The European Parliament is prepared to investigate the legality of draft legislation restricting discussion of homosexuality in Polish schools, should the bill be officially submitted to the Polish lower house.The parliament's committee on civil liberties discussed the issue yesterday and decided to launch a study into the compatibility of such legislation with EU rules. -
21 March 2007Welsh gays urged to use their vote wisely + Stonewall Cymru are encouraging LGBT people in the principality to make their votes count in the elections for the Welsh Assembly in May.Tomorrow the gay equality organisation will present a report at the Senedd building in Cardiff on inequality in healthcare in parts of Wales.The Inside-Out report highlights concerns about the varied attitudes of health professionals towards lesbian, gay and bisexual service users. -
21 March 2007Gay rights more important than Christian ones, claims bishop 6 A senior Church of England clergyman has complained that gay people's rights take precedence over everyone else's.The Right Reverend Michael Scott-Joynt made his comments ahead of a vote on the Sexual Orientation Regulations in the House of Lords later today.The regulations were approved by the House of Commons on Monday night by 310 votes to 100. -
20 March 2007Exclusive: Ming Campbell speaks to PinkNews.co.uk + When PinkNews.co.uk spoke to Sir Menzies Campbell at his office in the Palace of Westminster earlier this month, the Liberal Democrat leader discussed his values and attitudes towards gay rights, and how British society has changed since the days of Ted Heath and Jeremy Thorpe. -
20 March 2007Cardinal accuses Blair of abuse 2 Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has accused Tony Blair of abusing Parliament by not allowing MPs more time to debate the Sexual Orientation Regulations.A proposed opt-out for Roman Catholic-run adoption services caused a Cabinet row earlier this year.The head of the Roman Catholic church in England and Wales said that adoption agencies will close rather than comply with new rules outlawing discrimination. -
20 March 2007Gordon Brown and David Cameron vote for gay regulations 1 An attempt to block legislation that will protect gay people from discrimination has failed.Tory MPs in the House of Commons forced a vote on the Sexual Orientation Regulations yesterday. -
20 March 2007Greens call for teacher training on homophobia 1 The Green Party in Brighton is calling on the city's council to improve anti-homophobia training for headteachers.The party says that the council has a responsibility to protect LGBT education workers."Thanks to a EU directive, workers in the UK now enjoy protection from homophobic and transphobic discrimination and harassment," says Nigel Tart, Chair of the Green Party LGBT group. -
19 March 2007Bishops urged to scupper gay discrimination rules 6 Christian opposition to gay rights laws has escalated as protestors realise that the House of Lords debate on Wednesday will be the last chance to derail new regulations.Members of the General Synod, or ruling body, of the Church of England have written to all bishops urging them to go to the Lords and vote against the Sexual Orientation Regulations.The rules make it illegal to discriminate against lesbian, bisexual or gay people when providing goods and services. -
19 March 2007Polish homophobia a Tory legacy, claims MEP 3 Labour MEP Michael Cashman has claimed that the language used by Polish ministers to oppose equal rights for gay people is a legacy of the previous Conservative government in the UK.Tens of thousands of teachers marched in Poland at the weekend to protest the proposed new law that would, "prohibit the promotion of homosexuality and other deviance" in schools."I am not in the least bit surprised by this," Mr Cashman told PinkNews.co.uk. -
19 March 2007Nigerian gay group claim new law could create exodus + A gay rights pressure group has condemned Nigeria's anti-gay marriage bill, warning that its passing would cause significant problems for other countries.Changing Attitudes Nigeria (CAN), an Anglican Church pressure group on LGBT rights, attacked a bill that would ban same-sex marriage and imprison anyone associated with promoting gay rights.Davis Mac-Iyalla, head of Changing Attitudes Nigeria, warned that acceptance of the bill would see vast numbers of Nigerians fleeing. -
19 March 2007US soldiers come out to expose military’s gay hypocrisy + A group of seven high-ranking military veterans have responded to recent remarks by General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Last week he called lesbian, gay and bisexual service members "immoral" and re-iterated his support for the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service members.The officers, who are all lesbian or gay, called on Congress to repeal the law, and demanded that General Pace apologise for his remarks. -
19 March 2007SNP accepts donation from homophobe 2 A Scottish businessman notorious for his anti-gay views has donated £500,000 to the Scottish National Party.In 2000 Mr Souter gave over a million pounds to a campaign in Scotland to uphold Section 28, which banned the promotion of homosexuality.He cited his religious beliefs as justification for his actions, insisting he is not homophobic. -
16 March 2007Tories attempt to delay Sexual Orientation Regulations 4 PinkNews.co.uk exclusive New rules outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation have been approved by MPs, despite attempts by some Tory members to disrupt proceedings.Yesterday morning a meeting of the Commons Committee on Delegated Legislation saw all three political parties pledge their support for the regulations
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16 March 2007Analysis: Beginning of the end for “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” 1 Marine General Peter Pace, the US military's chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called homosexuality "immoral" on Tuesday and likened it to adultery.Now military analysts said his comments suggest the armed forces have run out of rationales for banning known gays from service.The policy of "Don't Ask Don't Tell," introduced in the United States Armed Forces in 1993 by then-President Bill Clinton. -
15 March 2007Hillary and Obama avoid answering homosexuality question + US Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has come under fire for saying on Tuesday that said she believed it is for "others to conclude" if homosexuality is morally wrong.Her comments were in response to the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the American armed forces, Marine General Peter Pace, who said in an interview on Monday that he thought homosexuality was immoral.Yesterday she issued a statement saying: "I disagree with what he said and do not share his view, plain and simple." -
15 March 2007Drop in number of gay dimissals from US military + The number of troops dismissed last year is less than half the total number of discharges in the year preceding the Sept. -
14 March 2007Gay ex-Governor launches custody battle 1 A former Governor of New Jersey is launching a custody battle for his daughter.The legal move follows the breakdown of divorce settlement talks with his estranged wife.Jim McGreevey became the first openly gay state governor in American history following his dramatic public confession of an affair with his former homeland security advisor, Golan Cipel. -
14 March 2007Ghana’s gays in human rights plea 1 Gay pressure group OutRage! has sent a letter to Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor demanding he repeal laws criminalising homosexuality in his home country.The President is visiting London this week to mark 50 years of Ghana's independence from Britain.Prince MacDonald, President of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Ghana, called for protests during the official visit. -
14 March 2007Polish government plan own version of Section 28 4 The Polish Minister of Education is proposing a law that would bar the "promotion" of homosexuality in schools.Gay rights activists in the country have spoken out against the EU, saying the organisation is not responding robustly enough to attacks on human rights in the new member states.Roman Giertych, is deputy Prime Minister of Poland as well as Education Minister. -
13 March 2007US general half-apologises for “gays are immoral” comment 3 The most senior miltary office in the US Armed Forces has admitted he should not have expressed his personal view that homosexuality is immoral.His admission came after his boss, Defence Secretary Robert Gates, and leading Republican and Democratic politicians condemned his remarks.Marine General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Chicago Tribune on Monday that homosexual acts are immoral.
