By JONATHAN PETRE and IAN GALLAGHER The Bishop of Winchester the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt is angry at the Foreign Office proposals The Government is being urged by a group of powerful MPs to axe references to Christianity from the constitutions of Britain’s far-flung outposts. To the dismay of Church leaders, the Foreign Affairs Committee is pressing for the change amid claims that references to traditional Christian morality could undermine gay rights in the overseas territories. The committee, chaired by Labour MP Mike Gapes, also objects to Christianity being singled out above other faiths. But the recommendation, which the Foreign Office says is being ‘carefully considered’, has provoked anger among Church leaders and politicians, with the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, condemning the move as ‘spurious political correctness’. The row has broken out following efforts by New Labour to modernise the remnants of the British Empire, giving their citizens more rights in return for introducing anti-corruption and human rights laws. The programme was initiated by the then Foreign Secretary Robin Cook in 1999, and involved the territories under British sovereignty updating their constitutions. But the Foreign Affairs Committee objected to the redrafted constitutions of two territories: the Cayman Islands in the western Caribbean Sea and St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic. The Cayman Islands says in the preamble to its constitution, which was finalised in February, that it is a ‘God-fearing country based on traditional Christian values, tolerant of other religions and beliefs’. The constitution adds that it was ‘a country in which religion finds its expression in moral living and social justice’. St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha said in its constitution that the islands wished ‘to continue as communities of tolerance, with respect for government and the law, Christian and family values and protection of the environment’. The territory’s governor Andrew Gurr said the British Government had directly suggested that it drop references to Christian values from its constitution. New Labour is attempting to modernise the remnants of the British Empire, giving their citizens more rights in return for introducing anti-corruption and human rights laws Earlier this year, a Foreign Office legal adviser was sent 4,000 miles to St Helena to help with the revisions. Mr Gurr told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The alterations to the constitution were being debated and, when it came to the reference to Christianity, the Foreign Office man said we might want to think about taking it out because the climate in the UK was now multi-faith. ‘I interpreted this to mean that we might be offending people of other religions if we left it in. It was felt that while the UK may well be multi-faith, Christianity is the dominant religion on the island so we kept it in.’ But in its latest report on human rights, published in August, the Foreign Affairs Committee criticised the fact that references to Christianity have remained. The move has prompted the Bishop of Winchester to send a strongly worded letter to the committee and Foreign Secretary David Miliband. The bishop said that references to Christianity in the preambles of the constitutions of territories over which Britain still has control should have no impact on the human rights of people living there. He said the proposal was ‘unnecessary’ and appeared to be more about ‘advancing a secularising agenda’ than protecting people from discrimination. Tory MP and former Minister Ann Widdecombe added: ‘As far as I am concerned, it is proof positive that this Government is anti-Christian. It is up to places like these to make their own decisions. ‘There is no compelling reason for the Government to go down to this level of detail.’ Committee chairman Mr Gapes said he was not prepared to comment on the bishop’s letter, but added: ‘Overseas territories are bound by our international obligations.’MPs want God-fearing remnants of empire to downgrade Christianity
18th October 2009Explore more:
Sunday, 18 October 2009
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