Call for Gibraltar intervention over gay equality failure
22 June 2009
The Gibraltar Parliament, which is part of the South West region in the Euro elections, this week voted to defeat the gay age of consent equality bill, which would have established an equal age of consent of 16. SW Greens have joined Peter Tatchell in calling for the UK Government to intervene.
Ryan Cleminson,
Coordinator of the SW Greens LGBT group said: “The Government of Gibraltar is
required by European Court of Human Rights rulings to equalise the age of
consent for same-sex relationships. I urge David Miliband, the Foreign
Secretary, to intervene and let Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Peter Caruana know
that Gibraltar cannot be allowed to evade its human rights obligations."
Human rights campaigner and Green party spokesperson, Peter Tatchell
said: "The equalisation legislation should have been sponsored by the government
and not introduced as a private member’s bill. 
I am very surprised and
disappointed that this was a private member's bill and not a government bill.
The government gives the impression that it is trying to evade its
responsibility to uphold equality and human rights. As a British Overseas
Territory, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has ultimate responsibility for
ensuring Gibraltar’s compliance with human rights law. Why was the legislation
suddenly rushed through parliament, when a number of MPs were overseas and when
there was insufficient time for a considered debate and amendments?"
Notes:
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