Article (Melanie Phillips): Liberal Britain turns out the lights

Two days ago, a momentous change occurred to the character of our nation. Quite simply, Britain stopped being a liberal society.

On that day, the Prime Minister announced that there would be no opt-out for Catholic adoption agencies from the Sexual Orientation Regulations, which will make it an offence to refuse to place children for adoption with gay couples.

Mr Blair had apparently personally supported such an exemption, but backed down in the face of a Cabinet revolt — and was then lamely and lamentably supported by David Cameron. Far more was lost by this defeat than the last vestiges of Mr Blair’s political authority.

For with this decision, the country that first invented the concept of liberalism — the land of John Locke and John Stuart Mill, who fashioned the model of a free and tolerant society for the world — is now set to destroy the concept at its very heart. Read more