From: REEKIE Alan Fraser Subject: UK Law Reform developments Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 14:05:00 MEZ The following text, describing the latest developments in the UK, has been taken (without express permision) from one of today's British newspapers: "Vote threat over gay consent" by Alan Travis, "The Guardian", 11 Feb. 1994 A group of a dozen Tory MPs has warned ministers privately that they will refuse to support the Government's Criminal Justice bill if it contains legislation to reduce the 'age of consent' for homosexual men below 21. Although the threat is unlikely to materialise, it is indicative of the "moral backlash" among Conservative backbenchers before the Commons votes on the 'age of consent' and capital punishment. Ministers confirmed yesterday that both votes are to be held on 21 February. MPs will decide first on whether to lower the 'age of consent' to 16. If this is defeated, it will be followed by a vote on lowering it to 18, and then on keeping the status quo of 21. The Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes (Bermonsdey) has tabled an amendment with a further option of of equalising the 'age of consent' for both homosexuals and heterosexuals at 17 - it is currently 16 for hetereosexuals. Another amendment from Labour's Geoff Hoon (Ashfield) on the situation when an older person of either sex seduces a younger person, would put the burden of proof of consent on the older person. The threat to vote against the entire Criminal Justice Bill comes from Tory MPs such as David Evans, Terry Dicks and Dame Elaine Kellet-Bowman, who argue that the recent sex scandals have led to a decisive change in the political atmosphere against any reduction in the homosexual 'age of consent'. But Roger Goode, of the homosexual law-reform group Stonewall, claimed last night that they were "generating this backlash because all the arguments are going our way". He said they already had pledges from 270 MPs of all parties to support the age of 16. (on another page of the same issue:) "Two boys aged 10 and 11 appeared before a Juvenile Court at Margate, Kent, accused of raping a 5-year-old girl and of committing an act of gross indecency, police said yesterday." Alan Reekie (aree@dg13.cec.be)