EDUCATION Secretary Ruth Kelly has defended her right to privacy over links with a controversial Catholic group.
The Bolton West MP has attended meetings of the hard-line organisation Opus Dei but has not revealed whether she was a member.
The secretive sect, whose name means "Work of God", is portrayed as a sinister cult in the best-selling novel, The Da Vinci Code.
Opus Dei members are admitted by invitation only and have a duty to spread the "word of God".
In a newspaper interview, Ms Kelly a mother-of-four, rejected suggestions she should break off links with such a controversial group.
She said: "No. It is not relevant to my job. I am in politics because I have a strong belief in the equal worth of every child."
Ms Kelly, who was promoted in the wake of David Blunkett's resignation, said: "I have a private spiritual life and I have a faith. It is a private spiritual life and I don't think it is relevant to my job. I don't see why it should be an issue at all."
Beliefs
At 36, Ms Kelly is the youngest woman to sit in the Cabinet. She has risen swiftly since becoming an MP in 1997.
But her links with Opus Dei have made her appointment as Education Secretary controversial.
There have been suggestions her religious beliefs could influence the way she does her job.
Critics fear it could affect her stance on sex education programmes, particularly on the distribution of condoms.
But Ms Kelly said: "We have an established government policy on that.
"I came here to do a job, which is about raising standards in schools.
"I came here because I passionately believe we have a responsibility as a society to put children first."
Ms Kelly vowed to press ahead with plans for more foundation schools with greater financial independence, despite misgivings among some Labour backbenchers.
"Every school should have the chance to manage its own assets, to become autonomous," she said.
"We want popular schools to expand more quickly and use competition to find the best provider of new schools."
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Dan, City centre (20/01/2005 at 12:13)
John, U.S.A. (20/01/2005 at 15:18)
Is it a policy of this media to call into question all public figures because of thier faith, be it Muslim, Hindu or Jew? Or is it just Catholics?
Angela, Stockport (20/01/2005 at 17:48)
We always found them very welcoming and open and gave a lot of their valuable time in providing activities for both boys and girls.
Angela O'Rourke, Longsight, Mancheter (20/01/2005 at 17:52)
The DaVinci Code is a work of fiction based on fraudulent manuscripts and poor scholarship. Exactly what it has to do with Ruth Kelly's faith is unclear. You suggest that it is "Opus Dei Monks" but these are also fictitious bearing no relation to the ecclesial movement Opus Dei which does not have any monks, and is primarily a lay organisation. Furthermore your article make the unfounded claim that Opus Dei is a sect. A sect is a secretive society but Opus Dei has never hidden its aims. It has constitutions approved by the Pope which anyone may read. It also functions within the strict realm of the Church's Canon Law, as part of the Church entrusted with the specific mission of helping people to find God in their everyday lives.
Ruth Kelly is a serious, well qualified, young mother with conviction and moral values. Surely these should be seen as positive qualities which she will bring to her new role b�"especially as the lack of such values brought down her predecessor. We should give her a break and let her get on with the task of raising our children's educational standards.
Jane Keen, Tuebrook, Liverpool (20/01/2005 at 20:36)