Cameron “gaffe”, Bradshaw “hypocrisy” over gay legislation votes
March 24th, 2010 by Siobhan.McGuirk
Another party political gay rights row has broken out after David Cameron was filmed stumbling over his words in an interview with Gay Times magazine. The Conservative Party leader was asked why he allowed free votes rather than force his MPs and MEPs to vote for gay equality measures.
Interviewer Martin Popplewell was referring to the refusal of Tory MEPs to to support last years European Parliament motion which condemned a new homophobic law in Lithuania banning the promotion of “non-traditional” families. Mr Cameron replied: “Um, well I don’t – I mean the trouble is you’re – I mean I’ll have to go back and look at this particular – this particular law. I barely ever issue instructions to my MEPs to vote in this way or in that way. The MEPs have their own leader.”
Before requesting that the camera be turned off, Cameron added, “I try to have free votes where possible on these sorts of issues. Sorry it’s not a very good answer. I’ll have to go and look at this particular vote in the European parliament.” He hand not known in advance that the interview would be filmed.
Openly gay Labour Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw described the interview as “a major gaffe” before attacking the Conservative’s free vote policy on equality matters. He told Channel 4 News, “[Cameron's] learned a script but when he’s actually scrutinised and forgets the script, he doesn’t have the fundamental core belief to support him in his argument.”
Today, however, Mr Bradshaw has been accused of hypocrisy as his own party have also allowed free votes for gay rights legislation. Chair of LGBTory Matthew Sephton pointed out, “free votes have been common practice for Labour members as well, for example on the vote preventing fertility clinics from refusing IVF treatment to single women and lesbians, so the culture secretary is simply wrong in what he says.”
Elsewhere, British National Party leader Nick Griffin has claimed to have made his party more gay-inclusive, in an interview for Total Politics magazine. After describing homosexuality as “unfamiliar, odd and I’m afraid it is creepy” Griffin went on to claim, “We’re not anti-gay”. He continued, “I took over a party which had a total ban on homosexual members. We’ve got gay members now…but it’s don’t ask don’t tell.” Pink News has released excerpts not included in the published Total Politics interview, in which Griffin shares his views on gay marriage and adoption.
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