Conservatives fail to stop Liberal Democrat Anti Discrimination Report

11.08.00am GMT Wed 21st Jan 2009

Lib Dem Euro MP Liz Lynne has strongly criticised Conservative MEPs after they tried to vote down a historic plan to outlaw discrimination in access to goods and services.

The Employment and Social Affairs Committee in the European Parliament today voted to adopt a report by Liz Lynne MEP backing a proposal by the European Commission for a new anti-discrimination directive. The new directive would outlaw discrimination outside employment in access to goods and services on the grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief.

The committee backed the new directive despite the opposition of British Conservative MEPs and the umbrella EPP group. Speaking after the meeting in Brussels, Liz Lynne MEP said:

"The Conservative Party say they are a party of opportunity for all and yet their MEPs today voted against giving people, who have a disability, older people, gay and lesbian people and those who have a religion or belief, their fundamental rights to be free from discrimination."

"This Directive would implement the principle of equal treatment outside employment, race and gender are already covered by other directives. It would be particularly important in stopping the widespread discrimination which still goes on in many EU states, for instance, in Greece, there is nothing to stop tourists from being denied service in a restaurant or a hotel room, just because they are gay, or look gay. In Poland for example, there is little domestic legislation to help wheelchair users to get about, with ramps and so on, either in shops or using buses and trains.

"In Britain our existing law already stops that kind of injustice, but the directive would ensure that British people are protected from discrimination when they travel or work abroad. But we do have gaps in our legislation too, particularly on age discrimination. For example, there is nothing to stop a kidney patient being denied lifesaving dialysis treatment because they are 'too old,' even though they might be fit enough to benefit from it.

"While I welcome the Commission's proposal for a directive, something I and colleagues have been calling for many years, it is vital that we get this legislation right if we are to ensure people are given the rights they are entitled to as European citizens. If correctly drafted we can have a practical, sensible proposal that will not cause difficulty for businesses yet protect people from discrimination they should not have to face."

"If the EU is to be a single market for people to work, travel around in and live in then we need to have the same rules protecting people from unfair discrimination when they try to buy things or use services.

"The Conservatives have slipped back into a kneejerk response that we can't afford equal rights, that we have to put up with discrimination. I am glad that a majority of MEPs don't agree."

ENDS

Note to editors:

Liz Lynne's report on the proposed Anti Discrimination Directive was approved by the Employment and Social Affairs Committee in Brussels today by 28 votes in favour, 11 against and 7 abstentions. British Conservatives and many other EPP MEPs voted against. Liz Lynne is LibDem MEP for the West Midlands Region and Vice President of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee. It was Liz Lynne's own initiative report adopted by the Parliament in June 2008 calling for a directive that convinced the Commission to bring forward the proposal in June of last year.