Tory MEPs shame leader over women and gay rights

[Anarcho-Socialist]

Conservatives in European Parliament consistently vote against resolutions to promote equality

Source: The Independent on Sunday

David Cameron faced fresh embarrassment over Europe last night, after it emerged that Conservative MEPs have consistently voted against a string of measures to protect women's rights.

Analysis of the record of 25 Tory members of the European Parliament this year shows they voted against, or abstained, eight times on issues relating to sexual equality, family-friendly working hours, maternity leave and reproductive health – often in clear defiance of official Conservative Party policy. The MEPs also failed to back an EU resolution expressing concern about homophobic attacks in Croatia, which is seeking EU membership.

(snip)

On 25 February, 22 out of 25 Tory MEPs voted against a resolution calling for the EU to become a party to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women. The remaining three did not vote.

On 10 February, seven measures on a report on equality for women in the EU saw the majority of Tory MEPs voting against or abstaining. The measures included giving better protection to women on maternity leave, backing women's easy access to contraception and abortion, and making men more aware of their responsibilities for sexual and reproductive health. Also on 10 February, one Tory MEP opposed, with 16 abstaining, a motion calling on the Croatian government to do more to crack down on homophobic attacks in the country. No Tory MEPs voted in favour.

More: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-meps-shame-leader-over-women-and-gay-rights-1929512.html

The Parliamentary whip doesn't reach the loons that the Tories like to send to Brussels as MEPs.

[BolivarianHero]

1. In other news...

New Labour appointed a fucking Opus Dei member (so, in other words a right-wing lunatic who goes to bed fantasizing about Francisco Franco) to head a the Ministry responsible for gay rights..

"Gay equality issues
When she became Minister for Women and Equality, she was criticised on both BBC Radio 5 Live, and on the front page of The Independent of 10 May 2006, for having failed to support any measures in favour of gay rights since 1997 when the Labour government came to power. It was pointed out that she had absented herself from votes on such issues as equalisation of the age of consent, and gay adoption, and had voted for a motion that would prevent same-sex couples from adoption. Out of fourteen votes during the Blair government that have concerned equal gay rights, Ruth Kelly had only attended two.<46> Kelly was also criticised for refusing to comment on whether she considered that homosexuality is a sin. Gay-rights activist Peter Tatchell commented: "Tony Blair would never appoint someone to a race equality post who had a lukewarm record of opposing racism".<47><48>
In a letter published in The Times on 11 May 2006, the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Westminster voiced criticism to allegations that Ruth Kelly’s Catholicism might be considered incompatible with her role as Equality Minister. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor wrote "Ms Kelly may well be scrutinised for her fitness in office. That is a political judgement. But her Catholicism should not be a criterion in forming that judgement."<49> However, the criticism to which this responded was not that she was a Catholic generally speaking, but that she allegedly agrees with the Catholic Church's specific teachings about homosexuality (and other issues) which some hold as contrary to the equality agenda which it is her ministerial duty to promote.
The Observer newspaper reported on 15 October 2006 that Kelly had joined the Prime Minister in seeking to exempt churches from new laws prohibiting discrimination against gays and lesbians in the provisions of goods and services, and in employment.<50> In the light of these reports, the Liberal Democrat Equalities spokesperson, Lorely Burt, called for Kelly to give up her responsibility for equalities, claiming Kelly's personal beliefs were incompatible with defending gay rights.<31> It was reported in January 2007 that Kelly supported an exemption for Catholic adoption agencies from new laws barring discrimination in adoption for same-sex couples, suggesting instead that applicants should instead be referred to other agencies.<51><52>"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Kelly#Gay_equality_issues

This isn't to say that the Tories will be any better; I just don't see how a "progressive" party can not only tolerate Opus Dei sleaze among its rank, but also put her in a position of being accountable for the rights of women and of LGBTQ Britons.

Vote Labour in Labour-Tory marginals, but for anybody but Labour or Tory elsewhere. A hung Parliament is the best outcome.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. The good news is that Kelly is standing down as an MP (nt)

[LeftishBrit]

4. Good!

One of the most incompetent Education Secretaries ever, even apart from the Opus Dei connections.

[LeftishBrit]

2. The Tories have a sizeable far-RW contingent...

and those seem often to be the type who are sent to Europe. 'We will piss on the evil EU by riding on its gravy train and getting all the perks!'

At least when they're in Brussels they're not here; but they're still having a scary influence.

[BolivarianHero]

5. Oddly...

An avowed 27 year-old atheist woman just won a by-election standing as a Tory.

[LeftishBrit]

6. Even atheists can be RW nuts.

Religious fervour increases the risk; but I believe that Geert Wilders is an atheist, for example.

In any case, anyone who is a Tory MP at the age of 27 must have something seriously wrong with him/her.

Though I remember the by-election in question, and the candidate was probably selected on the assumption that she wouldn't win anyway. She did so due to the implosion of the Labour Party there when the Labour MP was deselected by the national party against the constituency party's will,

[BolivarianHero]

7. Not a right-wing nut...

She's of the One Nation variety, so she's arguably less right-wing than neocon Blair and his Opus Dei crony Ruth Kelly.

It's like calling Jacob Javitz, Dalton Camp, or Jim Jeffords right-wing nuts, when they so obviously weren't.