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A Britain We All Call Home > Published by Will Straw, April 20th 2010 at 3:39 pm

Cameron slams Grayling on B&B remarks

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Chris Grayling today refused to say that he regretted his comments that “a Christian hotel owner have the right to exclude a gay couple from a hotel”. Speaking on BBC’s ‘The Debate Programme’, Grayling said only that he regretted “causing confusion”. He claimed he was “talking about debates from some years ago” despite previously saying he “always took the view” about B&B owners. But his leader, David Cameron, has said “he shouldn’t have said it” on a BBC show to be broadcast tomorrow evening.

Watch Grayling on The Debate Programme:

Speaking on ‘Dermot Meets‘, to be broadcast tomorrow evening on BBC3, David Cameron will say:

“Well what [Grayling] said was wrong and he shouldn’t have said it, but I mean the thing is he did actually vote the right way, in terms of the vote on the equality regulations, which was all about saying to business you cannot discriminate against people on the basis of their sexuality.

“I mean the truth is that, you know the Conservative Party now accepts wholeheartedly the equality agenda for people whether you’re black or white or straight or gay, man or woman, really important, that’s the bedrock of our manifesto.”

But new research from My Gay Vote shows the Conservative party’s Parliamentary voting record on gay rights trails the Liberal Democrats and Labour by a factor of four to one. On five key votes just 27 per cent of Conservative MPs supported extensions in gay rights. By contrast, almost all Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs voted for the legislation. Indeed, just 6 per cent of Conservative MPs voted to allow gay couples to adopt. Rate My Tory has more.

Meanwhile Conservative candidate, Julian Lewis, an MP for New Forest East since 1997, is reported to have made a number of homophobic remarks at a hustings event yesterday. Activist Andrew Tindall tweeted: “just spent an hour listening to the scaremongering of a corrupt, paranoid homophobe – Julian Lewis, New Forest East CON MP/PPC.” By email, Tindall told me:

“Questioned on his gay rights votes, he continued his claims that homosexuality/anal sex alone poses risk of HIV/AIDS, and that is why he still opposes gay sex at 16. Someone put it to him that it is no more dangerous than any sexual activity, to which he insisted on proof, but when asked to do the same – over 10 years after he already made up his mind – he said he didn’t have figures and it would have to be a project to find them.

“He then made a comparison that gay sex is as big a health risk as joining the army, and that they don’t let people join the army until the age of majority, so why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining the army isn’t.”

  • http://twitter.com/alexcburrows/status/12519926100 Alex Burrows

    RT @leftfootfwd: Cameron slams Grayling on B&B remarks (but Grayling won't say he regrets making them) http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/leebo/status/12520385987 leebo

    Cameron slams Grayling on B&B remarks(but Grayling doesnt regret it) http://bit.ly/cj6SpV /via @leftfootfwd <how long has it taken him tho?

  • http://twitter.com/nextleft/status/12520642671 Sunder Katwala

    Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. Poor David Cameron http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/applejuicesnap/status/12520865992 Lauren B

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. Poor David Cameron http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/bencooper86/status/12521279092 Ben Cooper

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://twitter.com/katiecurtis/status/12521777890 KatieCurtis

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. Poor David Cameron http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/stoptheright/status/12522556951 StopTheRight

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://twitter.com/goodoldmj/status/12522785030 Martin Johnston

    made me laugh out loud: RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/paulwmk/status/12519743640 paulwmk

    RT @leftfootfwd: Cameron slams Grayling on B&B remarks (but Grayling won't say he regrets making them) http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/adamcroome/status/12523518213 Adam Croome

    Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV (via @LGBTLabour) #SameOldTories

  • Liz McShane

    I wonder will Cameron reprimand Stewart Jackson, Shadow Communities & Local Government Minister for his recent comments re young Afghan men….:

    http://www.regen.net/bulletins/Regen-Daily-Bulletin/News/998077/Tory-renewal-spokesman-row-Afghan-Muslim-initiation-rites-comments/?DCMP=EMC-Regen

  • http://twitter.com/politicana/status/12520772012 Richard Lane

    #SameOldTories > RT @nextleft: Why shud gay sex b allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks Tory MP Julian Lewis http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/tomjamesscott/status/12520854972 Tom Scott

    The nasty party. RT @nextleft
    Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, – Tory mp Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/cjwooduk/status/12521046699 Chris Wood

    RT @nextleft: Why shd gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory MP Julian Lewis. Poor Cameron http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/thegreenbandana/status/12524166262 Green Bandana

    #Julian Lewis MP makes me sick! Same old homophobia, same old stupidity, same old tories. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/lgbtlabour/status/12521163522 LGBT Labour

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://twitter.com/lgbtlabour/status/12521272649 LGBT Labour

    #SameOldTories > RT @nextleft: Why shud gay sex b allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks Tory MP Julian Lewis http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/andy_s_64/status/12521354255 Andy Sutherland

    RT @LGBTLabour Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://twitter.com/lindamarric/status/12521404039 LM

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://twitter.com/stephenmullen/status/12521617551 Stephen Mullen

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://twitter.com/lgbtlabour/status/12521650021 LGBT Labour

    Cameron says Grayling shouldn't have made B&B remarks but won't sack him & Grayling won't say he regrets making them! http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/coffeemadman/status/12521730815 Jonathon Greenhow

    RT @LGBTLabour: Cameron says Grayling shouldn't have made B&B remarks but won't sack him & Grayling won't say he regrets making them! http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/sbond91/status/12522374518 Stephen Bond

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://twitter.com/nick00031/status/12522377541 Nick00031
  • http://twitter.com/nick00031/status/12522395652 Nick00031
  • http://twitter.com/wdjstraw/status/12525713386 Will Straw

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/deonwiggett/status/12526127648 deonwiggett

    RT @wdjstraw: RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://ratemytory.org.uk/2010/04/20/qhote-of-the-day-julian-lewis/ Qhote of the Day: Julian Lewis « Rate My Tory

    [...] Left Foot Forward cover the full story. [...]

  • Mr. Sensible

    About time too!

    Well almost; didn’t really say a lot about it.

  • http://twitter.com/redwidge/status/12525694982 Leepy Lee

    RT @bencooper86: RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://twitter.com/dalebassett/status/12525856882 Dale Bassett

    RT @wdjstraw: RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/jasoncharlton/status/12525922786 JASON CHARLTON

    @theboygeorge Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/charlville/status/12525941427 Charlville

    RT @wdjstraw: RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/charlville/status/12526042139 Charlville

    @GayTory Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV > and????

  • http://twitter.com/charlville/status/12526091466 Charlville

    Hyprocrite alert Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/jaekay/status/12529192468 Jae Kay

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. Poor David Cameron http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/ellayvonne/status/12529517553 Ella Yvonne Magal

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. Poor David Cameron http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/lordbrownof/status/12529072036 Stephen Brown

    RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't, asks notorious Tory mp Julian Lewis. Poor David Cameron http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • David Whitehouse

    But 16 year olds CAN join the army. You’d expect a Tory MP to know that, wouldn’t you ? Which rather shoots his argument straight through the temples, before you even get onto his ignorance and rampant homophobia. See http://www.armyjobs.mod.uk/howdoijoin/canijoin/Pages/EntryRequirements.aspx

  • http://twitter.com/sophwills/status/12538380750 sophwills

    RT @LGBTLabour: RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://twitter.com/obfusc8/status/12540764927 Henry Pill

    @popebrentus UK tory Julian Lewis should test his "only gays get aids" theory through unprotected sex in Swaziland http://bit.ly/cj6SpV

  • http://twitter.com/popebrentus/status/12540178394 Brent Davidson

    RT @bencooper86: RT @nextleft: Why should gay sex be allowed at 16 if joining army isn't? asks Tory MP Julian Lewis. http://bit.ly/cj6SpV #SameOldTories

  • http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/04/21/have-the-tories-really-embraced-the-equality-agenda/ Liberal Conspiracy » Have the Tories really embraced the ‘equality agenda’

    [...] Forward at any time in the last 24 hours then you’ll already know that David Cameron has finally got around to repudiating Chris Grayling’s recent B&B [...]

  • http://andrewtindall.com/2010/04/21/on-julian-lewis-a-clarification/ On Julian Lewis: A Clarification | AndrewTindall.com

    [...] response to the first enquiry, from Left Foot Forward, I outlined the event as I recalled it bearing in mind I did not take notes, as I was not expecting [...]

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/04/politics-summary-thursday-april-22nd/ Politics Summary: Thursday, April 22nd | Left Foot Forward

    [...] from fighting on frontlines. He reiterated the remarks at a hustings event on Monday, prompting the story by this [...]

  • http://andrewtindall.com/2010/04/24/respect-for-the-truth-more-julian-lewis/ “Respect for the Truth” – More Julian Lewis | AndrewTindall.com

    [...] Lewis, Tory incumbent for New Forest East, last week made some remarks that many people were understandably pissed off by. With many calling for him to be sacked from the [...]

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/chris-grayling-dragged-into-liam-fox-adam-werritty-row/ Grayling dragged into Fox/Werritty scandal – are Osborne, Gove and Hague next? | Left Foot Forward

    [...] Cameron slams Grayling on B&B remarks – Will Straw, April 20th [...]