Churches 'free to discriminate'
Tuesday 26 January 2010
Louise Nousratpour
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/86064 (http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/86064)
The House of Lords has defeated government plans that churches claimed would restrict their "freedom" to deny jobs to women, homosexuals and transsexuals.
The House of Lords, including 26 bishops, rejected a provision contained in Harriet Harman's Equality Bill three times during a debate on Monday night.
Backed by right-wing Christians, Tory backbencher Baroness O'Cathain moved a motion claiming that ministers wanted to change the status quo which allows religious organisations to discriminate against job applicants on grounds of gender, marital status and sexual orientation.