The House of Lords has thrown out Government proposals to allow unmarried and gay couples to adopt children. At Edward's Bar in Newcastle-under-Lyme, ALAN COOKMAN, from the Sentinel Newspaper, met working mothers who feel prejudice should not deprive needy children of a loving home.

Kath, Sandra, Andrea and Liz have more in common than being educated young professional women working for the same employer in a demanding occupation. They are also caring mothers who weep at the plight of the thousands of children who are on the waiting list for adoption in the UK.

I joined them in Edward's as they finished their lunch and ordered cappuccinos. "The priority should be to get these kids into loving homes," said Kath, who had been shocked by a TV documentary about the number of children desperately waiting adoption.

"It shouldn't matter if the couples are married or gay, as long as they are able to provide a loving environment," said Kath.

Sandra, a divorced mother of two, said: "Obviously couples have to be properly vetted, but the important thing is children are placed in homes where they will be loved and cared for."

Liz, who has a long-term partner and a two-year-old child, said she found it deeply insulting that she might be considered unfit to adopt because she wasn't married.
"Are they suggesting that my partner and I would love a child less than a married couple?" asked Liz. "I find that very offensive indeed.
"And I see no reason why gay couples in a stable relationship shouldn't be allowed to adopt a child.

"I don't think sexuality should be an issue, as long as the couple can provide an emotionally stable environment.
"Nor do I think that age should be a bar, providing the parents are not so old they will die before the child is out of nappies."

Andrea agreed that emotional stability was more important than sexual orientation or marital status.
"Sexuality is not important, and decisions should not be based on prejudice," she said. Kath added: "I think the fact the House of Lords has blocked this legislation shows how completely out of touch they are.
"If they really cared about children in need of homes, they would never have stood in the way of the government's proposals."