London Labour MEP Mary Honeyball has caused a row with the Vatican and Labour Christians with a comment on her blog published by the labourlist.org with her saying:
"I do not believe Christianity should have the kind of privileged place in our public life which so manifestly does. In this article Blair is quoted as saying, "But in general terms in British society there is a risk that people see faith as a personal eccentricity."
Honeyball who replaced the popular Pauline Green in 2000 has annoyed Blairite Labour supporters with comments about the former Prime Ministers faith:
"Religion was one matter where Tony Blair got it all wrong. The persistent rumours that he and President George W Bush prayed together at Camp David while deciding to go to war in Iraq have refused to go away. Tony and Cherie have got religion, as we know, all too well. Now that he is no longer PM they both seem compelled to talk about their faith, saying some things which should not go unchallenged."
Honeyball has not hesitated to attack the Roman Catholic church with an article in The Guardian in May 2008 were she attacked the position of prominent Catholics on the frontbench of the Labour Government by saying during the pro-life human fertilisation and embryology bill:
"But it is Gordon Brown's kowtowing to threats of resignation from three Catholic government ministers - Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, Des Browne, the defence secretary and Paul Murphy, the Welsh secretary - that has undermined his strength. In allowing a free vote on three of the bill's most important clauses (selecting and screening embryos for diseases and "saviour siblings"; allowing the creation of hybrid embryos from animal and human cells; and obviating the need for a father in IVF treatment), the PM has failed to protect the rights of the general public, over half of whom support the three causes, according to a recent Times poll."
"The vice-like grip of Catholicism holds fast across large parts of the continent. Spain, Italy, Portugal and Ireland are just some of the countries in Europe that have been subjected to interference by meddling cardinals. Abortion is still outlawed in Ireland and was only recently legalised in Portugal. Anti-abortion campaigns have, almost without exception, been led from the pulpit."
The London Daily News contacted the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for England & Wales no comment was forthcoming on the comments made by Honeyball.
The World Health Organization raises its pandemic alert to 5, its second-highest level, warning of widespread human infection from the swine flu outbreak that originated in Mexico.
