Cllr Steve Radford

President of The Liberal Party

41 Sutton Street

Tuebrook

Liverpool

L13 7EG

0151 259 5935 / 07920090322        Letter for Publication

Dear Editor

I have found the whole adoption catholic / gay opt out debate highly distasteful and self indulgent

Over 15 years ago Liverpool City Council discussed the role of gays and lesbians in adoption , Every Councillor, irrespective of religious traditions, was totally happy with the simple policy, that adoption was not a right but a responsibility and that what was best for the child was the only concern

Therefore social workers should judge each potential adoptive parent or parents on the merit of the application in respect of the child or young person to be adopted.

Many councilors recognised that a young person abandoned by his or her parents because they  were gay or lesbian may actually benefit from being placed with gay parents.

Even the most ardent religious councillors at the time respected a loving parent was preferable to leaving young people in institutionalized care.

If the Roman Catholic church  gained the right to opt out of public policy then surely immediately gay, lesbian and secular tax payers would be right to demand the right, as a matter of conscience ,to opt out of funding catholic schools and other institutions

Cllr Steve Radford

President of The Liberal Party