3rd April 2009 - Labour MEPs back new anti-discrimination law as Tories abstain

Yorkshire & Humber’s Labour MEPs, Richard Corbett and Linda McAvan, have welcomed the European Parliament’s support of new legislation to protect people against discrimination but have launched a stinging attack at their Conservative rivals who abstained from the vital vote.

The new legislation will combat discrimination on grounds of disability, religion or belief, age, or sexual orientation. It will apply to social protection and health care, social benefits, education and access to goods and services including housing. People will also be protected from multiple discrimination, based on two or more grounds.

Richard said:

“This new legislation is designed to protect people from any sort of discrimination and will hopefully help build a fairer and more equal society across the whole of Europe. Sadly, extremism is on the rise in large parts of Europe and even in Yorkshire & Humber we are facing the possibility of the BNP winning a seat in the European Parliament. So it is heartening that the European Parliament has spoken out for people who suffer inequality, harassment and discrimination every single day.”

Both Tory MEPs for Yorkshire & Humber, Timothy Kirkhope and Edward McMillan Scott, abstained from the vote.

Linda McAvan said:

“We are absolutely appalled the Conservatives did not back this new legislation. Unfortunately it is all too typical of the Tories in the European Parliament who appear incapable of understanding the importance of saying no to discrimination.”

On the same day another Tory MEP, Syed Kamall, supported the possibility of Holocaust denier and leader of the French fascists, Jean Marie Le Pen, opening the new European Parliament session following the 2009 elections.

Linda said:

“With his MEPs doing nothing to fight discrimination and in favour of giving a platform to Jean Marie Le Pen to spout his noxious views, Cameron's attempt to shed the Tories' image as the 'nasty party' is nothing more than a ruse.”