Christian MP apologises for anti-gay campaign
-24/01/06
Simon Hughes, the Liberal Demo
Christian MP apologises for anti-gay campaign
-24/01/06
Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey in London, and Peter Tatchell, the gay and human rights campaigner, have buried their differences over a 1983 by-election campaign which saw the former ñ a practicing Christian ñ triumph over the latter with a record swing.
Mr Hughes, who is now standing for the leadership of the Liberal Democrat Party, following the resignation of Charles Kennedy over his drink problems, has admitted that there were aspects of the campaign which were unacceptably anti-gay.
Mr Tatchell, who has since joined the Green Party, was then the Labour candidate in what was seen as a safe inner-city Labour seat. But he lost to Mr Hughes after a bitter political fight in which covert and overt smears against his sexuality featured.
Simon Hughes has always denied directly sanctioning such tactics, but he admitted on BBC2 TVís Newsnight programme yesterday evening that in the heat of the political battle things had gone too far.
Condemning a leaflet which talked about a ìstraight choiceî between the two, he accepted responsibility and gave an unreserved apology.
He said: ìI hope that there will never be that sort of campaign again. I have never been comfortable about the whole of that campaign, as Peter knows, and I said that to him in the past . . . Where there were things that were inappropriate or wrong, I apologise for that.î
For his part, Mr Tatchell, according to a Newsnight reporter, says that he has forgiven Mr Hughes ñ and hopes that he wins the Lib Dem leadership.
Simon Hughes is seen as the most socially progressive of the candidates for his Partyís leadership, and his radicalism is a concern for the young free marketeers who wish to reshape it in their image.
In the recent past he has said that he would contemplate going to jail to oppose the governmentís Identity card scheme, condemned by civil liberties groups.
Hughes, an Anglican, has also opposed anti-migrant rhetoric by the main parties, supported civil partnerships and rights for lesbian and gay people, and condemned Stephen Green and Christian Voice for their tactics in opposing Jerry Springer ñ The Opera. He said this was not representative of mainstream Christianity.
He also opposed the Iraq war and was defeated by Ken Livingstone in the election for London Mayor.
Peter Tatchell, a campaigner for human rights and co-founder of the militant gay and lesbian group OutRage!, has withstood the vilification of the UKís tabloid media to win respect for his principled stand for equal rights.
He sustained injuries after a vicious assault from Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabeís bodyguards. Tatchell tried to perform a ëcitizenís arrestí on Mugabe, for his many violations of human rights ñ not least against the gay community.
[Also on Ekklesia: Jonathan Bartley on Simon Hughes’ leadership bid; Christian MP announces leadership bid; Christian MP attacks anti-migrant rhetoric; Christian MP will take ID protest to jail; Churches get chance to quiz Christian candidate for London mayor; Christian candidate for mayor launches London manifesto; Christian MP Bradshaw to enter gay civil partnership;
Christian MPs vote to support Iraq war – Hughes against; Charles and Camilla day not gay, Tatchell demonstrates; Archbishop speaks of despair over Anglican factions ]
Christian MP apologises for anti-gay campaign
-24/01/06
Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey in London, and Peter Tatchell, the gay and human rights campaigner, have buried their differences over a 1983 by-election campaign which saw the former – a practicing Christian – triumph over the latter with a record swing.
Mr Hughes, who is now standing for the leadership of the Liberal Democrat Party, following the resignation of Charles Kennedy over his drink problems, has admitted that there were aspects of the campaign which were unacceptably anti-gay.
Mr Tatchell, who has since joined the Green Party, was then the Labour candidate in what was seen as a safe inner-city Labour seat. But he lost to Mr Hughes after a bitter political fight in which covert and overt smears against his sexuality featured.
Simon Hughes has always denied directly sanctioning such tactics, but he admitted on BBC2 TV’s Newsnight programme yesterday evening that in the heat of the political battle things had gone too far.
Condemning a leaflet which talked about a ‘straight choice’ between the two, he accepted responsibility and gave an unreserved apology.
He said: ‘I hope that there will never be that sort of campaign again. I have never been comfortable about the whole of that campaign, as Peter knows, and I said that to him in the past . . . Where there were things that were inappropriate or wrong, I apologise for that.’
For his part, Mr Tatchell, according to a Newsnight reporter, says that he has forgiven Mr Hughes – and hopes that he wins the Lib Dem leadership.
Simon Hughes is seen as the most socially progressive of the candidates for his Party’s leadership, and his radicalism is a concern for the young free marketeers who wish to reshape it in their image.
In the recent past he has said that he would contemplate going to jail to oppose the government’s Identity card scheme, condemned by civil liberties groups.
Hughes, an Anglican, has also opposed anti-migrant rhetoric by the main parties, supported civil partnerships and rights for lesbian and gay people, and condemned Stephen Green and Christian Voice for their tactics in opposing Jerry Springer – The Opera. He said this was not representative of mainstream Christianity.
He also opposed the Iraq war and was defeated by Ken Livingstone in the election for London Mayor.
Peter Tatchell, a campaigner for human rights and co-founder of the militant gay and lesbian group OutRage!, has withstood the vilification of the UK’s tabloid media to win respect for his principled stand for equal rights.
He sustained injuries after a vicious assault from Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s bodyguards. Tatchell tried to perform a ëcitizen’s arrest’ on Mugabe, for his many violations of human rights – not least against the gay community.
[Also on Ekklesia: Jonathan Bartley on Simon Hughes’ leadership bid; Christian MP announces leadership bid; Christian MP attacks anti-migrant rhetoric; Christian MP will take ID protest to jail; Churches get chance to quiz Christian candidate for London mayor; Christian candidate for mayor launches London manifesto; Christian MP Bradshaw to enter gay civil partnership;
Christian MPs vote to support Iraq war – Hughes against; Charles and Camilla day not gay, Tatchell demonstrates; Archbishop speaks of despair over Anglican factions ]