Minister blunders on rape question

“’Rape is rape’ - (Radio Presenter) – ‘No, it’s not’” (Kenneth Clarke), headlines the Independent, quoting an interview which has provoked a national outcry. The British Justice Secretary was defending a plan to reduce jail sentences by up to 50% for early guilty pleas, a plan which could also include rape cases, but provoked outrage by appearing to suggest “that some rapes were less serious than others,” the London daily writes. The Justice Secretary was seeking to distinguish between what he termed “serious” rapes and “date” rapes when, under questioning, he rejected the assertion that “Rape is rape”. "No it's not,” he said. “And if an 17-year-old has sex with a 15-year-old and she's perfectly willing, that is rape [i.e. this type of case constitutes a rape in legal terms, since the UK age of consent is 16].” On the issue of sentencing, he then said, “No one is saying a serious, proper rape case is going to be let out of prison after 12 months." Lambasted on all side by women’s groups, the opposition Labour party, and the media for taking the rape issue lightly, “there is growing speculation he will be moved from the Ministry of Justice,” the London daily notes.