Blair laughs off failure to end anti-Catholic discrimination

BY MARK GREAVES
TONY BLAIR has joked that failing to overturn the Act of Settlement was a "major omission" in his premiership.
Mr Blair chortled as he said: "I think it is terrible, terrible", referring to the discrimination inherent in the Act of Settlement, which forbids Catholics, or anyone married to a Catholic, from acceding to the throne.
"When we come to talk about the 10-year legacy we can pick that out as a major omission," the Prime Minister said during a meeting with the Commons Liaison Committee.
He added: "I was just thinking that it might be something for my successor really. It is a useful one to leave around." Mr Blair was responding to questions from Conservative MP Edward Leigh, who asked why the Government had left such "a blatant piece of discrimination" on the statute book.
Mr Leigh said afterwards: "His whole tone was sarcastic, as if to say, 'really, I've got more important things to do'. Throughout the issue of the adoption agencies the Government has claimed that discrimination is wrong, but when they've got a blatant piece of discrimination on their statute book they do nothing about it."
Mr Leigh urged Catholics to continue to "embarrass" the Government over the issue. "I think the Catholic hierarchy should be much more pro-active in agitating for the Act of Settlement to be repealed," he said. "I think there is some hope once Gordon Brown comes in."
Several Church leaders have spoken out against the Act, which discriminates specifically against "papists".
Cardinal Corrnac MurphyO'Connor pointed out that Prince William "can marry by law a Hindu, a Buddhist, anyone, but not a Roman Catholic", without renouncing his claim to the crown.
Cardinal Keith O'Brien has also voiced opposition to the Act, which he described as part of his country's "shadowy sectarian culture".
Mr Blair has acknowledged that the Act is unfair but said the process of repealing the law would be too complicated as it would require changes to legislation overseas.