No sooner had the British government agreed to a recent European Court ruling against banning homosexuals in the military, Parliament is working now on a strict new conduct code prohibiting any sexual activity or displays of affection in the armed services.
Published reports say critics believe London should have challenged a European court's right to rule on British security matters, with some saying barring all sexual activity might enhance a serious staff shortage by turning off existing or potential recruits, according to Conservative News Service.
The British authorities have chosen a model based on Australia's code of conduct for the military. It bans all sexual activity on base, all sexual relationships between officers of different rank, and offers a sexual harassment complaint channel, CNS says, adding the British are turning down models on policies in Israel, the Netherlands, and the United States.
CNS says the new code could take effect by Christmas or New Year.
In September, the European Court found the British armed forces' dismissal of four homosexuals was unlawful. That triggered some outrage among British lawmakers, including Conservative Party lawmaker Gerald Howarth, who tells CNS it was "absolutely unbelievable" that "a policy which commands the support of the government, the opposition and the [military] officers should be set aside because of a bunch of foreigners who will be nowhere to be seen if we have to go to war."
But the lesbian and gay lobby group Stonewall says it welcomes both the end of the homosexuality ban and any code to deal "with any improper sexual behavior."
