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Gay News: Two gay men who were refused accommodation at a Berkshire bed and breakfast are to sue its owners..
By: Nigel Robinson
Liberty to help gay men
"This case is as important to the principle of non-discrimination as Rosa Parks' refusal to go to the back of the bus. A business with a ‘no gays policy’ is as bad as one that says ‘no blacks; no Irish’.
Liberty to help gay men
Gay couple turned away from B&B to sue
The Human Rights organisation Liberty is to help Michael Black and John Morgan who were turned away from a Berkshire B&B on account of their sexuality.
Susanne Wilkinson, who runs the bed and breakfast, said that she could not offer the couple a double room, as to have two men sharing a bed was against her Christian convictions.
Liberty is to bring a civil case against Mrs Wilkkinson and her husband.
The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 makes it an offence to refuse goods and services to people on the grounds of sexual orientation.
James Welch, Legal Director of Liberty, said:
"This case is as important to the principle of non-discrimination as Rosa Parks' refusal to go to the back of the bus. A business with a ‘no gays policy’ is as bad as one that says ‘no blacks; no Irish’.
“Liberty defends the rights of religious groups to preach their beliefs, even when we disagree with them, but not to discriminate in the provision of goods and services."
Mr Wilkinson said:
"We are rather surprised that Liberty would be so one-sided in a matter of liberty because there are two liberties to uphold in this case.
"There is a religious liberty to uphold and there is the right for homosexuals to practise what they want to do...
"We don't want to go to court but if they want us to then I suppose we will have to. We are sorry we have offended these guys."
