THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Bed and breakfasts run by Christians should be allowed to turn away gay couples because of their sexuality, a leading Conservative has said.
Chris Grayling, the shadow home secretary, said hotels should not be allowed to discriminate against homosexuals, but also suggested individuals should have the right to decide who stays in their home.
The comments to a meeting of the Centre for Policy Studies thinktank sparked anger among gay rights activists and may prove embarrassing to Conservative leader David Cameron, who has made great play of his party's increased openness to homosexuals.
After a recording of his comments was published in The Observer Mr Grayling said he was not opposed to gay rights and would not be pressing for a change in the law, but felt it was important to respect the sensitivities of faith groups.
The row comes shortly after a B&B owner in Cookham, Berkshire, was reported to the police for refusing to take in a gay couple as guests on the grounds it was against her Christian principles.
The recording of the meeting on Wednesday shows Mr Grayling said: "I think we need to allow people to have their own consciences. >>> | Easter Sunday, April 04, 2010
THE GUARDIAN: B&Bs 'should have right to bar gays' / Exclusion would violate law – Labour
The Tories were embroiled in a furious row over lesbian and gay rightson Saturday after the shadow home secretary, Chris Grayling, was secretly taped suggesting that people who ran bed and breakfasts in their homes should "have the right" to turn away homosexual couples.
The comments, made by Grayling last week to a leading centre-right thinktank, drew an angry response from gay groups and other parties, which said they were evidence that senior figures in David Cameron's party still tolerate prejudice.
In a recording of the meeting of the Centre for Policy Studies, obtained by the Observer, Grayling makes clear he has always believed that those who run B&Bs should be free to turn away guests.
"I think we need to allow people to have their own consciences," he said. "I personally always took the view that, if you look at the case of should a Christian hotel owner have the right to exclude a gay couple from a hotel, I took the view that if it's a question of somebody who's doing a B&B in their own home, that individual should have the right to decide who does and who doesn't come into their own home."
He draws a distinction, however, with hotels, which he says should admit gay couples. "If they are running a hotel on the high street, I really don't think that it is right in this day and age that a gay couple should walk into a hotel and be turned away because they are a gay couple, and I think that is where the dividing line comes."
Ben Summerskill, chief executive of the gay rights group Stonewall, said the comments would be "very alarming to a lot of gay people who may have been thinking of voting Conservative". >>> Toby Helm, political editor | Saturday, April 03, 2010
