MPs LAST night decided in a historic vote to lower the age of consent
for homosexual men from 21 to 18.
Voting was 427 to 162, an overwhelmingly majority of 265, for a
compromise backed by the Prime Minister.
Amid cheering in a crowded Commons, they first rejected a move to
lower it to 16 in line with the heterosexual age.
This bid to equalise the age of consent for homosexual and
heterosexual sex at 16 was rejected by 307 to 280, a majority of 27.
As the decisive second result was announced, one dejected gay rights
campaigner shouted from the public gallery: ''Thanks for nothing!''
The free vote in the committee stage of the Criminal Justice and
Public Order Bill was the first on the contentious issue in more than 25
years and brought passionate divisions in the overflowing chamber.
The vote for a halfway house seems certain to ensure that the issue
will not go away -- a point made during the debate by supporters of 16.
Outside the Palace of Westminster. campaigners for a reduction to 16
mounted a candlelit vigil during the debate.
The option of 18 was carried after Home Secretary Michael Howard said
it struck ''the right balance''.
He said: ''We should not criminalise private actions freely entered
into by consenting mature adults -- on the other hand, we need to
protect vulnerable young men from activities which their lack of
maturity might cause them to regret.''
Tory former junior Health Minister Edwina Currie was heckled by her
own side when she advocated the case for 16, insisting: ''Homosexuality
in this country is subject to enforced discrimination, which is now out
of date, indefensible and way out of line with the rest of the world.''
Mrs Currie said: ''It's no longer a minority issue, but one of human
rights which touches us all.''
She said Britain's age of consent for homosexual men was the highest
in the world, except for countries like Serbia where it was banned
altogether.
Courts should be ''well enough occupied pursuing the real thugs and
thieves'' instead of chasing homosexual men over consensual acts.
However, fellow-Tory Bill Walker (Tayside North) told the House:
''It's neither natural or normal to carry out homosexual activity.
That's why there has to be protection for young boys.''
Tory Tony Marlow (Northampton North) told Mrs Currie: ''You are
seeking to get us to vote to legalise the buggery of adolescent males.
Do you really think that's what our constituents sent us here to do?''
Lady Olga Maitland (Sutton and Cheam -- Con.) claimed that a
16-year-old boy troubled by his growing sexuality could be vulnerable to
pressure from the gay lobby.
However, Mrs Currie stuck firmly to her guns. There were homosexual
soldiers, Judges, peers and MPs, and it was time to ''take the dark
shadows and turn them into human beings.'' Equality was the only
worthwhile and sustainable position, she said.
Proposing the reduction in the homosexual age of consent to 18, Sir
Anthony Durant (Reading West -- Con.) said many young men were still
unclear about their sexuality between 16 and 18.
He said: ''There is concern among quite a lot of people about older
men approaching young boys. Now I know this has never been proved one
way or the other, but it is a fact that we are here to protect young
people.''
Shadow Home Secretary Tony Blair backed Mrs Currie's amendment: ''The
issue is not at what age we wish young people to have sex, it is whether
the criminal law should discriminate between heterosexual and homosexual
sex.
''It's not an issue of age, but of equality.''
He said the overwhelming evidence was that homosexuals were not taught
or persuaded: ''It's not against the nature of gay people to be gay. It
is their nature. It is what they are.
''It's different, but that doesn't make it grounds for
discrimination.''
Labour MP Chris Smith (Islington South and Finsbury), who has
proclaimed himself to be homosexual, told the House: ''There is a basic
fundamental principle that I believe in -- that we are all equal before
the law.
''At the moment, as far as young gay men are concerned, the law does
not permit that to be the case.''
He declared: ''Yes, we are different. We have a different sexuality.
''That doesn't make us in any way less valid or less worthy as
citizens of this country. Yet the law at present says that we are.''
He urged MPs to back equality ''simply because it is the right thing
to do''.
Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley, whose vehement speech was
almost drowned out by laughter at times, urged MPs to save young boys
from going down the homosexual road, and to vote not ''for the
destruction of young boys but for their deliverance -- and they need to
be delivered''.
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, supporting Mrs Currie, said her
proposal was equitable and rational.
He said a common age of consent made sense, since if most
heterosexuals knew their orientation at 16, why should not homosexuals?
He had been, as a father, as exercised about the prospect of his son
having heterosexual sex at 16 as that of his daughter doing so: ''I just
hope that had it been the case that either of my children had proved to
have homosexual orientation, I could have shown them the love and
understanding as their parent, as many parents in this country already
do.
''I was not offered that test, for which, I frankly give thanks,'' he
admitted -- because homosexuals were a minority, were regarded as being
isolated, did not have children, and were criminalised even at 16.
Mr Simon Hughes (Southwark and Bermondsey -- Lib Dem.) proposed a
common age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual relationships of
17 but conceded his party's policy was for a uniform age of consent at
16.
Mr Hughes said his concern was ''whether or not 16 is too young''.
Mr Mike Watson (Glasgow Central -- Lab.) praised Mrs Currie's work in
campaigning for gay rights, and said: ''It is quite wrong we should seek
to stigmatise young men for doing what their heterosexual friends do.''
He said there was no evidence older men would prey on young boys if
the age of consent was reduced to 16.
Mr Watson called for an end to the anomaly where if a teacher seduced
a 17-year-old girl he would be within the law, but if a gay teacher
seduced a 17-year-old boy he would end up in jail.
TORIES WHO BACKED 18 AS AGE OF CONSENT
Peter Ainsworth (Surrey E), Jonathan Aitken (Thanet S), Michael Alison
(Selby), David Amess (Basildon), James Arbuthnot (Wanstead and
Woodford), Sir Tom Arnold (Hazel Grove), David Ashby (Leicestershire
NW), David Atkinson (Bournemouth E). Kenneth Baker (Mole Valley), Tony
Baldry (Banbury), Robert Banks (Harrogate), Spencer Batiste (Elmet),
Henry Bellingham (Norfolk NW), John Biffen (Shropshire N), Sir Richard
Body (Holland with Boston), Tim Boswell (Daventry), Peter Bottomley
(Eltham), Virginia Bottomley (Surrey SW), Andrew Bowden (Brighton
Kemptown), John Bowis (Battersea), Gyles Brandreth (Chester), Michael
Brown (Brigg and Cleethorpes), Angela Browning (Tiverton), Simon Burns
(Chelmsford), Alistair Burt (Bury N), Peter Butler (Milton Keynes NE),
John Butterfill (Bournemouth W). Kenneth Carlisle (Lincoln), Matthew
Carrington (Fulham), Paul Channon (Southend W), Sydney Chapman (Chipping
Barnet), James Clappison (Hertsmere), Kenneth Clarke (Rushcliffe),
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cirencester and Tewkesbury), Sebastian Coe
(Falmouth and Camborne), Michael Colvin (Romsey and Waterside), David
Congdon (Croydon NE), Derek Conway (Shrewsbury and Atcham), Anthony
Coombs (Wyre Forest), Simon Coombs (Swindon), Sir John Cope (Northavon),
James Couchman (Gillingham), Edwina Currie (Derbyshire S), David Curry
(Skipton and Ripon). Quentin Davies (Stamford and Spalding), Niranjan
Deva (Brentford and Isleworth), Stephen Dorrell (Loughborough), Lord
James Douglas-Hamilton (Edinburgh W), Alan Duncan (Rutland and Melton),
Bob Dunn (Dartford), Sir Tony Durant (Reading W). Tim Eggar (Enfield N),
Harold Elletson (Blackpool N), Sir Peter Emery (Honiton). David Faber
(Westbury), Michael Fabricant (Staffordshire Mid), Barry Field (Isle of
Wight), Dudley Fishburn (Kensington), Michael Forsyth (Stirling), Eric
Forth (Worcestershire Mid), Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield), Dr
Liam Fox (Woodspring). Tristan Garel-Jones (Watford), Edward Garnier
(Harborough), Alastair Goodlad (Eddisbury), John Gorst (Hendon N).
William Hague (Richmond, Yorks), Neil Hamilton (Tatton), Dr Keith
Hampson (Leeds NW), Jeremy Hanley (Richmond and Barnes), Sir John Hannam
(Exeter), Andrew Hargreaves (Birmingham Hall Green), David Harris (St
Ives), Alan Haselhurst (Saffron Walden), Jerry Hayes (Harlow), Sir
Edward Heath (Old Bexley and Sidcup), Charles Hendry (High Peak), Sir
Terence Higgins (Worthing) James Hill (Southampton Test), Douglas Hogg
(Grantham), Sir Peter Hordern (Horsham), Michael Howard (Folkestone and
Hythe), Alan Howarth (Stratford-on-Avon), David Howell (Guildford),
Robert G Hughes (Harrow W), David Hunt (Wirral W), Sir John Hunt
(Ravensbourne), Dauglas Hurd (Witney). Michael Jack (Fylde), Robert
Jackson (Wantage), Bernard Jenkin (Colchester N), Sir Geoffrey Johnson
Smith (Wealden), Robert B Jones (Hertfordshire W), Michael Jopling
(Westmorland and Lonsdale). Robert Key (Salisbury), Greg Knight (Derby
N), Sir David Knox (Staffordshire Moorlands). Jacqui Lait (Hastings and
Rye), Norman Lamont (Kingston upon Thames), Ian Lang (Galloway and Upper
Nithsdale), Mark Lennox-Boyd (Morecambe and Lunesdale), Jim Lester
(Broxtowe), David Lidington (Aylesbury), Peter Lilley (St Albans), Peter
Lloyd (Fareham), Peter Luff (Worcester), Sir Nicholas Lyell
(Bedfordshire Mid). John MacGregor (Norfolk S), Andrew MacKay (Berkshire
E), Patrick McLoughlin (Derbyshire W), Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson (New
Forest), Sir David Madel (Bedfordshire SW), Lady Olga Maitland (Sutton
and Cheam), John Major (Huntingdon), Gerry Malone (Winchester), Paul
Marland (Gloucestershire W), Dr Brian Mawhinney (Peterborough), David
Mellor (Putney), Andrew Mitchell (Gedling), Sir David Mitchell
(Hampshire NW), Sir Roger Moate (Faversham), Sir Fergus Montgomery
(Altrincham and Sale), Tony Newton (Braintree), David Nicholson
(Taunton), Emma Nicholson (Devon W and Torridge), Steven Norris (Epping
Forest). Sir Cranley Onslow (Woking), Phillip Oppenheim (Amber Valley).
Sir Geoffrey Pattie (Chertsey and Walton), James Pawsey (Rugby and
Kenilworth), Eric Pickles (Brentwood and Ongar), Michael Portillo
(Enfield Southgate). Tim Rathbone (Lewes), Tim Renton (Sussex Mid),
Malcolm Rifkind (Edinburgh Pentlands), Raymond Robertson (Aberdeen S),
Andrew Rowe (Kent Mid), Dame Angela Rumbold (Mitcham and Morden),
Richard Ryder (Norfolk Mid). Tim Sainsbury (Hove), Nicholas Scott
(Chelsea), Sir Giles Shaw (Pudsey), Colin Shepherd (Hereford), Richard
Shepherd (Aldridge-Brownhills), Nicholas Soames (Crawley), Sir Keith
Speed (Ashford), Sir James Spicer (Dorset W), Michael Spicer
(Worcestershire S), Richard Spring (Bury St Edmunds), Robin Squire
(Hornchurch), Allan Stewart (Eastwood). Peter Temple-Morris
(Leominster), Roy Thomason (Bromsgrove), Sir Donald Thompson (Calder
Valley), Peter Thurnham (Bolton NE), David Tredinnick (Bosworth), Ian
Twinn (Edmonton). Sir Gerard Vaughan (Reading E). William Waldegrave
(Bristol W), George Walden (Buckingham), Gary Waller (Keighley), Charles
Wardle (Bexhill and Battle), Sir John Wheeler (Westminster N), John
Whittingdale (Colchester S and Maldon), David Willetts (Havant), David
Wilshire (Spelthorne), Mark Wolfson (Sevenoaks), Timothy Wood
(Stevenage). Sir George Young (Acton).
Labour MPs who voted for proposal of 18
Irene Adams (Paisley N), Nick Ainger (Pembroke), Robert Ainsworth
(Coventry NE), Graham Allen (Nottingham N), Donald Anderson (Swansea E),
Hilary Armstrong (Durham NW), Joe Ashton (Bassetlaw), John Austin-Walker
(Woolwich). Tony Banks (Newham NW), Harry Barnes (Derbyshire NE), Kevin
Barron (Rother Valley), John Battle (Leeds W), Hugh Bayley (York),
Margaret Beckett (Derby S), Stuart Bell (Middlesbrough), Tony Benn
(Chesterfield), Andrew Bennett (Denton and Reddish), Roger Berry
(Kingswood), Tony Blair (Sedgefield), David Blunkett (Sheffield
Brightside), Paul Boateng (Brent S), Roland Boyes (Houghton and
Washington), Keith Bradley (Manchester Withington), Dr Jeremy Bray
(Motherwell S), Gordon Brown (Dunfermline E), Nicholas Brown (Newcastle
upon Tyne E), Stephen Byers (Wallsend). Richard Caborn (Sheffield
Central), Jim Callaghan (Heywood and Middleton), Anne Campbell
(Cambridge), Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley), Dale Campbell-Savours
(Workington), Dennis Canavan (Falkirk W), Jamie Cann (Ipswich), Malcolm
Chisholm (Edinburgh Leith), Michael Clapham (Barnsley W and Penistone),
Dr David Clark (South Shields), Eric Clarke (Midlothian), Tom Clarke
(Monklands W), Ann Coffey (Stockport), Harry Cohen (Leyton), Michael
Connarty (Falkirk E), Frank Cook (Stockton N), Robin Cook (Livingston),
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington N), Jean Corston (Bristol E), Tom Cox
(Tooting), Bob Cryer (Bradford S), John Cummings (Easington), Jim
Cunningham (Coventry SE), Dr Jack Cunningham (Copeland). Tam Dalyell
(Linlithgow), Alistair Darling (Edinburgh Central), Ian Davidson
(Glasgow Govan), Bryan Davies (Oldham Central and Royton), Denzil Davies
(Llanelli), Terry Davis (Birmingham Hodge Hill), John Denham
(Southampton Itchen), Donald Dewar (Glasgow Garscadden), Don Dixon
(Jarrow), Frank Dobson (Holborn and St Pancras), Brian Donohoe
(Cunninghame S), Jim Dowd (Lewisham W). Angela Eagle (Wallasey), Ken
Eastham (Manchester Blackley), Derek Enright (Hemsworth), William
Etherington (Sunderland N), John Evans (St Helens N). Derek Fatchett
(Leeds Central), Frank Field (Birkenhead), Mark Fisher (Stoke Central),
Paul Flynn (Newport W), Derek Foster (Bishop Auckland), George Foulkes
(Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley), John Fraser (Norwood), Maria Fyfe
(Glasgow Maryhill). Sam Galbraith (Strathkelvin and Bearsden), Mike
Gapes (Ilford S), John Garrett (Norwich S), Bruce George (Walsall S),
Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow), John Gilbert (Dudley E), Dr Norman Godman
(Greenock and Port Glasgow), Llin Golding (Newcastle-under-Lyme),
Mildred Gordon (Bow and Poplar), Thomas Graham (Renfrew W and
Inverclyde), Bernie Grant (Tottenham), Nigel Griffiths (Edinburgh S),
Wyn Griffiths (Bridgend), Bruce Grocott (The Wrekin), John Gunnell
(Leeds S and Morley). Mike Hall (Warrington S), David Hanson (Delyn),
Peter Hardy (Wentworth), Harriet Harman (Peckham), Roy Hattersley
(Birmingham Sparkbrook), Doug Henderson (Newcastle N), David Hinchliffe
(Wakefield), Kate Hoey (Vauxhall), Norman Hogg (Cumbernauld and
Kilsyth), John Home Robertson (East Lothian), Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale),
Geoff Hoon (Ashfield), George Howarth (Knowsley N), Dr Kim Howells
(Pontypridd), Kevin Hughes (Doncaster N), Robert Hughes (Aberdeen N),
John Hutton (Barrow and Furness). Eric Illsley (Barnsley Central), Adam
Ingram (East Kilbride). Helen Jackson (Sheffield Hillsborough), Greville
Janner (Leicester W), Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside), Jon Owen Jones
(Cardiff Central), Lynne Jones (Birmingham Selly Oak), Martyn Jones
(Clwyd SW), Tessa Jowell (Dulwich). Gerald Kaufman (Manchester Gorton),
Alan Keen (Feltham and Heston), Jane Kennedy (Liverpool Broadgreen),
Piara Khabra (Ealing Southall), Peter Kilfoyle (Liverpool Walton), Neil
Kinnock (Islwyn). Ron Leighton (Newham NE), Joan Lestor (Eccles) Terry
Lewis (Worsley), Robert Litherland (Manchester Central), Tony Lloyd
(Stretford), Eddie Loyden (Liverpool Garston). John McAllion (Dundee E),
Tommy McAvoy (Glasgow, Rutherglen), John McFall (Dumbarton), William
McKelvey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun), Andrew MacKinlay (Thurrock), Henry
McLeish (Fife Central), Gordon McMaster (Paisley S), Kevin McNamara
(Hull N), John McWilliam (Blaydon), Max Madden (Bradford W), Alice Mahon
(Halifax), Peter Mandelson (Hartlepool), Dr John Marek (Wrexham), Eric
Martlew (Carlisle), John Maxton (Glasgow Cathcart), Michael Meacher
(Oldham W), Alan Meale (Mansfield), Alun Michael (Cardiff S and
Penarth), Bill Michie (Sheffield Heeley), Alan Milburn (Darlington),
Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port and Neston), Austin Mitchell (Great
Grimsby), Dr Lewis Moonie (Kirkcaldy), Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff W), Elliot
Morley (Glanford and Scunthorpe), Alf Morris (Manchester Wythenshawe),
Estelle Morris (Birmingham Yardley), George Mudie (Leeds E), Chris
Mullin (Sunderland S), Paul Murphy (Torfaen). Mike O'Brien (Warwickshire
N), William O'Brien (Normanton), Eddie O'Hara (Knowsley S), Bill Olner
(Nuneaton), Martin O'Neill (Clackmannan), Stan Orme (Salford E). Robert
Parry (Liverpool Riverside), Terry Patchett (Barnsley E), Peter Pike
(Burnley), Greg Pope (Hyndburn), Ray Powell (Ogmore), Bridget Prentice
(Lewisham E), Gordon Prentice (Pendle), John Prescott (Hull E), Dawn
Primarolo (Bristol S). Joyce Quin (Gateshead E). Giles Radice (Durham
N), Stuart Randall (Hull W), Nick Raynsford (Greenwich), Dr John Reid
(Motherwell N), George Robertson (Hamilton), Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry
NW), Barbara Roche (Hornsey and Wood Green), Jeff Rooker (Birmingham
Perry Barr), Terry Rooney (Bradford N), Ernie Ross (Dundee W), Ted
Rowlands (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney), Joan Ruddock (Lewisham Deptford).
Brian Sedgemore (Hackney S and Shoreditch), Barry Sheerman
(Huddersfield), Robert Sheldon (Ashton-under-Lyne), Peter Shore (Bethnal
Green and Stepney), Clare Short (Birmingham Ladywood), Alan Simpson
(Nottingham S), Dennis Skinner (Bolsover), Andrew Smith (Oxford E),
Chris Smith (Islington S and Finsbury), John Smith (Monklands E),
Llewellyn Smith (Blaneau Gwent), Peter Snape (West Bromwich E), Clive
Soley (Hammersmith), Nigel Spearing (Newham S), John Spellar (Warley W),
Rachel Squire (Dunfermline W), Gerry Steinberg (Durham City), George
Stevenson (Stoke S), Roger Stott (Wigan), Dr Gavin Strang (Edinburgh E),
Jack Straw (Blackburn). Ann Taylor (Dewsbury), Jack Thompson (Wansbeck),
Dennis Turner (Wolverhampton SE). Keith Vaz (Leicester E). Sir Harold
Walker (Doncaster Cent), Joan Walley (Stoke N), Gareth Wardell (Gower),
Robert Wareing (Liverpool West Derby), Malcolm Wicks (Croydon NW), Alan
J Williams (Swansea W), Alan W Williams (Carmarthen), Brian Wilson
(Cunninghame N), David Winnick (Walsall N), Audrey Wise (Preston), Tony
Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie), Tony Wright (Cannock and
Burntwood). David Young (Bolton SE).
MPs from other parties in favour of the change
Liberal Democrats supporting plan for age 18 were: David Alton
(Liverpool Mossley Hill), Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil). Alan Beith
(Berwick-upon-Tweed), Malcolm Bruce (Gordon). Menzies Campbell (Fife
NE), Alex Carlile (Montgomery). Don Foster (Bath).Simon Hughes
(Southwark and Bermondsey). Sir Russell Johnston (Inverness, Nairn and
Lochaber), Nigel Jones (Cheltenham). Charles Kennedy (Ross, Cromarty and
Skye), Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh and Berwickshire). Liz Lynne (Rochdale).
Robert Maclennan (Caithness and Sutherland), Diana Maddock
(Christchurch). David Rendel (Newbury). Sir David Steel (Tweeddale,
Ettrick and Lauderdale). Matthew Taylor (Truro), Paul Tyler (Cornwall
N). James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland).
Other party MPs who voted in favour were: Cynog Dafis (Plaid Cymru
Ceredigion and Pembroke N). Margaret Ewing (SNP Moray). John Hume (SDLP
Foyle). Ieuan Wyn Jones (Plaid Cymru Ynys Mon). Elfyn Llwyd (Plaid Cymru
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy). Alex Salmond (SNP Banff and Buchan). John D
Taylor (UUP Strangford). Dafydd Wigley (Plaid Cymru Caernarfon).
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