Homosexuality Law Change Rejected (Press, 1 July 1960)

On 30 June 1960, a significant vote in the House of Commons resulted in the heavy defeat of a bill aimed at decriminalising homosexual acts between consenting adults in private. The final tally showed 213 members voting against the bill while only 99 were in favour. Many MPs opted not to vote, leading to shock among supporters of the proposal due to the overwhelming rejection, which exceeded their expectations. The bill's supporters were hopeful that reform could eventually occur, especially in light of a statement from the Home Secretary, R. A. Butler, who indicated that change might be possible in the future. However, he firmly opposed the bill at this time, suggesting that the current moral and religious state of the country could not justify such a shift. In his remarks, Butler highlighted the dangers of loosening restrictions on conduct, warning that people might believe they are free to engage in acts simply because they are not criminal offences. Butler mentioned a potential alternative whereby prosecutions would only occur under the conditions set by the Director of Public Prosecutions, with the Attorney-General's consent, and only if it served the public interest. However, he stressed that many questions remained to be answered before any changes could be considered. Key issues included the rationale for setting the age of consent at 21, the definition of “consenting,” and the interpretation of what constitutes “in private.” There was also concern that liberalising the law might lead to an increase in homosexual behaviour. The discussion surrounding the bill stemmed from the Wolfenden report, which had advocated a reconsideration of laws governing homosexual acts. Butler concluded that he did not believe a compelling case for reform had been made and called for further examination of the fundamental issues relating to law and morals. The bill was sponsored by Labour MP Kenneth Robinson from St Pancras North and gained the backing of a small group of Conservatives, the Liberal Party, and a minority of his own Labour party, demonstrating a range of opinions on the matter within the parliament. The outcome of the vote reflected the prevailing attitudes towards homosexuality in Britain at the time, marking a setback for advocates of reform.

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