DOWNING Street last night insisted that Ruth Kelly can serve as the Cabinet minister in charge of equal opportunities legislation, despite her staunch Catholic beliefs.
Ms Kelly, who was last week appointed Communities Secretary, has come under pressure from gay rights activists over her beliefs on homosexuality.
In her new post, she is in charge of the full range of equal opportunities policies, including issue
s such as allowing same-sex couples to adopt children.
She will enact the new Equality Act, which among other things prevents hoteliers from refusing rooms to gay couples.
Ms Kelly has abstained in Commons votes on several parts of Labour's equality agenda. She has links with the Opus Dei sect, which promotes a strict interpretation of Catholic social teaching.
In a BBC radio interview yesterday, Ms Kelly repeatedly refused to say if she believes homosexual sex is a sin.
Her voting record and her faith yesterday led gay activists and opposition parties to question Ms Kelly's appointment to her new post, which sees her running most of what used to be John Prescott's Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. "Her appointment suggests the government does not take lesbian and gay rights seriously," said Peter Tatchell, a veteran activist and former Labour parliamentary candidate.
And Lorely Burt, the Liberal Democrats' women and equalities spokeswoman, said: "How can the gay community trust equal rights legislation to be properly implemented and enforced when Ruth Kelly has such an ambiguous record on gay rights?"
Ms Kelly later insisted that she would take gay rights as seriously as any other minister.
"My commitment as a member of the government is to delivering the government's policy and also, personally, I don't think you can find someone more committed to making sure everyone shares in opportunities," she said.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman last night said that Ms Kelly was fully committed to delivering the government's policies. There was no question about her suitability for her new post, the spokesman said.
