Adviser resigned after Kelly backed Church's policy on gay adoption

13 April 2012

A top aide to Cabinet Minister Ruth Kelly has quit amid claims of conflict over the devout Catholic's hardline views on homosexuality.

Policy expert Rachel O'Brien left her job last week as special adviser to the Communities Secretary, who has responsibility for the Government's equal rights policy.

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The resignation follows the fierce political row surrounding new legislation, due to take effect in April, which would make it illegal for a publicly funded adoption agency to turn down a homosexual couple.

Ms Kelly sided with Church groups, which demanded exemption from the laws which will force their adoption agencies to end discrimination against gay couples - a practice which would contradict Christian beliefs.

Ms O'Brien, a life-long Labour loyalist, joined the Government last year as a £50,000-a-year political adviser, specialising in equality and women.

Whitehall sources have told The Mail on Sunday that Ms O'Brien became increasingly frustrated with her boss's foot-dragging on granting homosexuals equal rights.

'Rachel is a feisty woman with strong views and she had come into Government to implement equality,' said the source. 'Ruth is a difficult person to work for. The two often clashed.'

It is understood that tension between Ms O'Brien and her Cabinet boss began to grow after a row about who should represent the Government at last July's London Gay Pride festival.

Ms Kelly, as Minister in charge of equality, came under pressure to attend but refused.

Eventually, Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw, the first gay MP to have a civil partnership, went in her place.

Ms Kelly, a member of the extreme Catholic organisation Opus Dei, has repeatedly refused to say whether she endorses the official Church doctrine that homosexual acts are sinful.

However, in January it was reported that she tried to water down legislation which would give equal rights to gays who wanted to adopt children.

It came as the Roman Catholic leadership issued a plea to be granted exemption from the new legislation.

Senior churchmen warned that they would rather shut down their adoption agencies than comply with the new rules which forbid discrimination.

Prime Minister Tony Blair backed Ms Kelly's stance, but both were forced to give way following a Cabinet revolt.

It is understood that Ms O'Brien, who is in her early 40s, handed in her notice at the end of last year shortly before the adoption row was first reported.

She was persuaded to continue part-time as she worked out her notice until she finally cleared her Whitehall desk last week.

But Ms O'Brien insisted she had not fallen out with Ms Kelly. She said: 'It is complete nonsense. I have never had a disagreement with Ruth Kelly. I left the job for my own personal reasons.'

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