http://www.equality-ne.co.uk Equality North East is a comprehensive website offering fact sheets, a search facility, news items, best practice information relating to race, gender, disability and work-life balance. Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12086 National Basketball Association player Jason Collins recently came out as gay, making him the only openly gay male in the professional game. While many fans and commentators were supportive of Collins following the announcement, National Football League player Mike Wallace tweeted "All these beautiful women in the world and guys wanna mess with other guys SMH (shakin' my head)". The tweet was later deleted. Homophobic comments by employees or third parties can get employers into hot water: the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled last month that Romanian football club FC Steaua was engaging in discriminatory hiring practices after one of its well-known shareholders said that he would rather close the club than hire a gay player. Full story..... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12085 Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott made an impassioned speech in the lead up to the vote on the equal marriage bill for England and Wales, following its third reading today, in which she described it as "a momentous piece of legislation". The Labour MP for Hackney made the speech in the lead up to the vote, in which the Marriage (same sex couples) Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons. MPs voted 366 to 161 overwhelmingly in favour of passing the bill, giving it a majority of 205. It will now travel to the House of Lords for further scrutiny, debate and voting. Full story..... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12084 Shadow Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, Yvette Cooper made a speech urging MPs to vote in favour of a bill to allow equal marriage in England and Wales, just before it passed in the House of Commons with an overwhelming majority. Ms Cooper made the speech in the lead up to the vote, in which the Marriage (same sex couples) Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons. MPs voted 366 to 161 overwhelmingly in favour of passing the bill, giving it a majority of 205. It will now travel to the House of Lords for further scrutiny, debate and voting. Full story..... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12083 Equality Minister Helen Grant asked for amendments on rights for trans people in same-sex couples to be withdrawn in today’s House of Commons debate on the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill. She stated that the Government could not support an amendment allowing restoration of marriage to trans people who had had their marriage annulled in order to undergo gender reassignment. The Government could not recognise an annulled marriage as continuously valid. However, she said it would be possible to backdate a marriage to the start of a civil partnership. Full story..... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12082 In her address to the Commons, shortly before MPs passed the Marriage (Same Sex Couples Bill), Culture Secretary and Equalities Minister, Maria Miller said "now is the time" for equal marriage. Here is her speech in full:- I beg to move, that the Bill be now read a third time. I have spent some time thinking about how I would address the House today and the words that I would say at the third reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. For many different reasons, this is a subject which draws strong opinions on both sides of the debate. Just as the Civil Partnership Bill was discussed in pubs, homes, church halls and communities across the country, so has this Bill been. Full story..... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12081 MPs have voted 366 – 161 overwhelmingly in favour of passing the Marriage (Same Sex Couples Bill) – in its third reading in the House of Commons – giving it a majority of 205. Shortly before the vote took place, Culture Secretary and Minister for Equalities, Maria Miller told MPs: "I accept that for some colleagues their beliefs mean that the principle of this issue is an insurmountable barrier to supporting this change. "But to other colleagues I say, now is the time. "Let us not be side-tracked nor distracted. Let us not expand the remit of this bill beyond its original intention. "Let us make equal marriage possible because it is the right thing to do and then let us move on. "I am pleased to commend this bill to the House." Full story... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12080 A mismatch in expectations between employers and young people is contributing to high levels of youth unemployment, according to a report published today by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Business in the Community. The difference in expectations is, according to the CIPD, hindering young people’s access to the labour market and "fuelling a ticking time bomb" of skills shortages for UK businesses, which the CIPD said might be unwittingly hindering their access to young talent. The report highlights a number of issues that the CIPD said are preventing young people from finding work. Full story.... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12079 London Mayor Boris Johnson has called on the government to get the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill signed into law as soon as possible. ITV News reports the senior Conservative said: "Get it on the statute books and get on with it." Mr Johnson has also called on fractious Tories to unite and target Labour. Earlier this week, the bill risked being derailed and required the support of Labour MPs to overcome a potentially lethal wrecking amendment. The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill is to receive a third and final Commons reading throughout this afternoon and evening. Full story....... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12078 Welfare-to-work providers are "parking" their most difficult cases and failing some of the country’s long-term unemployed, according to a parliamentary committee report out today. MPs have warned that the "hardest to help" jobseekers – such as people with disabilities or a history of homelessness or substance abuse – were given little or no support by providers who assessed them as being unlikely to find sustained employment. The Work and Pensions Committee concluded that the Work Programme’s pricing structure – which was designed to financially incentivise contracted providers to support those with more challenging barriers to employment – was not having the intended impact on providers' behaviour. Full story..... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12077 "While the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill is a welcome advance towards equal marriage, it is not full equality. The legislation has a number of shortcomings that sustain discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) couples," said Peter Tatchell, coordinator of the Equal Love campaign, which has spearheaded the movement for same-sex civil marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships. "Instead of bringing same-sex couples fully within the ambit of existing marriage law, the bill leaves some aspects of marriage law different for gay and straight married couples. Although these are relatively minor, they violate the fundamental principle of marriage equality for all. "The 1949 Marriage Act is the UK’s main marriage law. It does not stipulate that marriage partners have to be male and female. This requirement is only three decades old. Prior to the early 1970s, there was no ban on same-sex marriage. It was de facto legal. The prohibition was introduced in response to the emergence of the gay liberation movement and the fear that a lack of legal impediment would allow transgender and same-sex couples to marry. "Marriage between two people of the same gender is outlawed under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. The repeal of this legislation would make same-sex marriage legal again under the 1949 Act. Full story.... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12076 CIPD responds to government consultation on the administration of Shared Parental Leave As the Government’s consultation on the administration of Shared Parental Leave draws to a close, the CIPD has reiterated its support for the proposals but highlighted some technicalities that will require close attention to ensure the new system is beneficial to employers and employees alike. The CIPD has long supported the move towards a more equal sharing of childcare responsibilities between working mothers and fathers. Mike Emmott, employee relations adviser at the CIPD, comments: "By giving men and women similar entitlements to leave following the birth of a child, mums and dads will have more choice over how they manage and balance their caring responsibilities between them, which will support female participation and progression in the labour market. What’s more, employers will benefit by increasing their ability to maintain a more diverse workforce and retain the skills and knowledge women bring to the workplace." Full story..... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12075 In an exclusive interview with PinkNews.co.uk, the Conservative MP for Reigate and former Prisons and Youth Justice minister, Crispin Blunt, says David Cameron has shown "fantastic leadership" on equal marriage. The MP also comments on today’s start of the third reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, and Ph­­­ilip Hammond’s recent criticism of the measure. Last Thursday on BBC1’s Question Time, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "There was no huge demand," for same-sex marriage and that "we didn’t need to spend a lot of parliamentary time and upset vast numbers of people in order to do this." Full story.... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12074 Downing Street originally told PinkNews that no option on the equal marriage bill would be ruled out until after the vote on the Tim Loughton amendment, however another spokesman has confirmed that David Cameron is in full support of the bill, but will decide the best way to make it happen, after the vote. The Government may withdraw its support for the pending equal marriage bill for England and Wales, if an amendment to allow civil partnerships to straight couples passes. A Downing Street source told PinkNews.co.uk that, if an amendment put forward by Tim Loughton, which would extend civil partnerships to heterosexual couples, were to pass, the Government may pull its support for the Marriage (Same Sex couples) Bill. Full story..... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12073 I am writing this on the day when the proposal for gay marriage is once again going before parliament and the anti- gay marriage people are out in force. The phrase ‘I am not homophobic but’ seems to be getting used a lot from opponents of the proposal in much the same way as racists say ‘I am not racist but’ before making a racist statement. So, my view is yes you are!! It will not be the end of life as you know it, it just means that people who are gay will get closer to having the same rights as people who are not gay. It does feel like it is the last stand of the elderly white Christian male brigade who have ruled for so long and now find that their rule is being threatened. I listened to an elderly white male Christian chairman of some conservative constituency whose argument was twofold, 1. That this was undemocratic (which I thought was a lovely example of irony) and that no one in the country wanted this (I then expected him to go on and say apart from Steve Cave from Houghton le Spring but he did not) I am just guessing but what I assume he meant was that none of the people in his clique wanted it. I hope it goes through although I do not see it as anything comparable to women getting the vote or equal pay legislation but it is a step in the right direction. I now look forward to a black person being seen on Midsomer Murders! It has been interesting seeing how much power the church has with both Church of England and Roman Catholic Church mounting ferocious campaigns against gay marriage and regularly quoting bits of the bible to support their theories. I listened to a fascinating exchange on Radio 5 between a supporter of gay marriage who quoted back other parts of the bible in what turned into a bible quoting competition with a Catholic priest. It was probably a score draw in the end! With the latest census figures showing a dramatic fall in the people who follow a religion and a massive increase in people who have no religion it would seem that most people no longer care what the church thinks. Except that is for the elderly white male Christians! As an elderly white male Christian myself I feel really good at leaving my grouping and am open to offers at which other group to join. The only difficulty I have is growing hair on the top of my head so please bear that in mind! Full story.... http://www.equality-ne.co.uk/news/articles/12072 Nick Clegg has warned against attempts to "hijack" proposals to legalise same-sex marriage in England and Wales ahead of key votes in the House of Commons. Tory critics have tabled an amendment saying heterosexual couples should be allowed to have civil partnerships, if gay couples are allowed to get married. Ministers say the move, which Labour may back, would delay the whole bill. Mr Clegg said he backed extending civil partnerships in principle but would not allow the bill to be "derailed". Full story....