Cashman backs Kelly on gay rights

Ms Kelly has refused to say if she thinks homosexuality is a sin

Ex-Eastenders star turned MEP Michael Cashman has defended Ruth Kelly after criticism her religious beliefs make it hard for her to deliver on gay rights.

The communities secretary has rejected claims her Catholicism clashes with her brief to boost equality.

Ms Kelly has come under fire from some members of the gay lobby.

But Labour's Mr Cashman accused her critics of "sprinkling political poison" and he insisted the government had "delivered" on gay rights.

Lorely Burt, the Liberal Democrats' women and equalities spokeswoman, said: "How can the gay community trust equal rights legislation to be properly implemented and enforced when Ruth Kelly has such an ambiguous record on gay rights?

"Ruth Kelly urgently needs to come clean about whether she agrees with her own department's policies on equality issues."

'Convinced'

But Mr Cashman, who cemented his 23-year-old relationship with a civil partnership in March, said he was convinced the secretary of state would deliver the government's agenda

"Labour has virtually delivered on equality: from gays in the military, an equal age of consent, housing succession rights, civil partnership, hate crime legislation, same sex immigration, review of the sexual offences laws and abolition of discriminatory measures, non-discrimination in the work place, adoption and fostering rights and now proceeding to ban discrimination in the supply of goods and service," he said.

"These are just some of the measures which prove that this government doesn't talk about equality, it delivers it, and I'm convinced Ruth Kelly will deliver the government's agenda."

Ms Kelly earlier said being a practising Catholic did not stop her doing her job but she would not say whether or not she thought homosexuality was a sin.

She promised she will fight against all discrimination.

The Cabinet minister, whose principal job is secretary of state for communities and local government, is a member of the Catholic group Opus Dei, which features in bestselling novel the Da Vinci Code.

'No moral judgements'

Asked about her record in missing Commons votes on the age of consent, gay adoption and civil partnerships, Ms Kelly said such issues were free votes decided by personal conscience.

"I passionately believe there should not be discrimination," she told BBC Radio Five Live.

Asked if she thought homosexuality was a sin, Ms Kelly replied: "I don't think it's right for politicians to start making moral judgements about people. That's the last thing I would want to do.

"What I think the question is what are my political views and as a politician those are the ones I'm accountable for to the public.

"As a politician I think anybody should be free from discrimination and I'll fight to the absolutely end to make sure that is the case."