People who support a Roman Catholic adoption agency that won’t do gay adoptions are like racist bigots, a lawyer for the Charity Commission suggested.
But a judge rejected the astonishing attack, saying beliefs about the traditional family have a legitimate place in a broadminded society.
The case centres on whether a charity called Catholic Care can amend their legal documents so that it isn’t forced to place children with gay couples.
Jibe
The judge ultimately ruled against the adoption agency, but he rejected the racist bigots jibe which was aimed at the group’s donors.
The judge said: “to support adoption within a traditional family structure cannot be equated with racist bigots, as Ms Dixon sought to suggest.”
The judge said such beliefs “have a legitimate place in a pluralist, tolerant and broadminded society,” although he ultimately ruled against Catholic Care.
Battle
The agency is considering whether to keep fighting against the Charity Commission in its long-running legal battle.
Catholic Care wants to clarify its legal documents, so that it will be able to provide adoption services to heterosexual couples only.
But the Charity Commission refuses to authorise the move, saying it would be discriminatory and unlawful. The judge agreed with the Commission.
Coercive
The legal dispute has been rumbling on for several years and, if the adoption agency appeals this latest decision, it may keep going for some time yet.
Catholic Care is the last surviving Roman Catholic adoption agency in England. The others have either dropped their association with the Church or closed down altogether.
The problems are the result of coercive gay rights laws, introduced by Tony Blair’s Government, which gave insufficient protections for religious liberty.