Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website

UPDATE 15:26hrs: Laura Kuenssberg, on News 24, has just revealed Lardner has been suspended from the Tory party and will now not contest the seat at the general election. It is too late for the Conservatives to field another candidate.

A Conservative Party candidate who said Enoch Powell “was right” and described Ian Smith as his “hero” has exhibited his exremist views once more by describing homosexuality as “not ‘normal’ behaviour” and defending section 28 - remarks which have now been removed from his website, but not before Left Foot Forward got a screengrab (click to enlarge):

Philip Lardner, Tory PPC for North Ayrshire and Arran, wrote:

“As your MP I will support the rights of parents and teachers to refuse to have their children taught that homosexuality is ‘normal’ behaviour or an equal lifestyle choice to traditional marriage… I will not accept that their behaviour is ‘normal’ or encourage children to indulge in it.

“The promotion of homosexuality by public bodies (as per ‘clause 28′/section 2a in Scotland,) was correctly outlawed by Mrs Thatcher’s government.“

Lardner’s remarks are yet another indication of the forces of homophobia at play in David Cameron’s modern Conservative Party, following shadow home secretary Chris Grayling’s remarks that B&B owners should be allowed to refuse entry to gay couples and shadow defence minister Julian Lewis’s comments on the age of consent and HIV. Grayling and Lewis remain Conservative candidates and remain on Cameron’s front bench.

Cameron’s allies in Europe are even more homophobic than his own MPs. In 2000, Michal Kaminski, leader of Cameron’s MEPs, gave a TV interview in which he refers to homosexuals as “pedaly”, literally pedals which is the near equivalent of “faggots” but also implies paedophilia. Kaminski has never apologised for the remarks and has never been criticised by Cameron for them.

Only last November, Cameron’s Lithuanian partner, Valdemar Tomasevski, described homosexuality as an “evil” from which children should be protected and says “we cannot allow these people to claim … that homosexuality is normal”. Cameron has never condemned Tomasevski, who remains a key ally.

~~Left Foot Forward has been unable to get any comment from the Conservative Party or Mr Lardner. He remains a Tory candidate.~~ UPDATE II 15:51hrs: The Conservative Party has just released a statement condemning Mr Lardner, saying his views have no place in the modern Conservative Party. As mentioned above, he has been suspended form the party and will no longer stand as a candidate.

UPDATE III 16:37hrs: Left Foot Forward has learnt that, in July last year, Lardner, in language more in tune with Nick Griffin than David Cameron, wrote:

“Thanks to our quisling politicians, we are now required to self-loathe our history and culture, indulge in degenerate pop and soap culture and celebrate the destruction of the family by prancing about at homosexual roadshows. These politicians have ensured we capitulate by destroying our industry and economy and immersing us in a Euro-superstate.

“With no job, no (man-woman-children) family and no hope, are we surprised that kids and adults in sink-estates have no aspiration? Our politicians have destroyed our country and left our indigenous ordinary people a hopeless and directionless mess.

“Quite literally I ask, God and Jesus help us!”

And last May, he appeared alongside Murdo Fraser MSP, deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives, at a meeting of right-wing Freedom Association.

Questions will be raised about how a bigot like Lardner rose so high in the Scottish Conservative Party, in the wake of his remarks about “homosexual roadshows” and his past comments about Ian Smith: “Ian Smith typified a British hero… I met him in 1998 and got to shake his hand. I am confident Ian Smith was a good man”; immigration: “It doesn’t make sense to flood a small island with people” and Enoch Powell: “Essentially, what Enoch Powell said has in a small way come true.”

http://twitter.com/aseculargay/status/12947339696 Secular Gay

RT @houseoftwits: RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/steveleverton/status/12947397636 Steve Leverton

RT @HouseofTwits: RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI < Shedding light on Tories
http://twitter.com/ggbrunt/status/12947688958 George Brunt

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/kopmatt09/status/12947888170 Matt

@theday2day http://tinyurl.com/322zhvn – turns out he's been sacked as Tory PPC
http://twitter.com/wdjstraw/status/12947938533 Will Straw

BREAKING: Tory PPC sacked for saying homosexuality was "not normal". But remarks were deleted from his website http://bit.ly/9YmVm7
http://twitter.com/trumptonfireman/status/12947945706 Graham_Pugh

@ACloakedFigure http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/justinthelibsoc/status/12948041230 Justin Baidoo

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/adamramsay/status/12948384226 AdamRamsay

BREAKING: Tory PPC sacked for saying homosexuality was "not normal". But remarks were deleted from his website http://bit.ly/9YmVm7
http://twitter.com/vicaringroo/status/12949015096 Andy

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/jester/status/12949163976 Jess McCabe

RT @sunny_hundal: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI (at @leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/sianushka/status/12949526350 sianushka

RT @sunny_hundal: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI (at @leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/euan_d/status/12949741770 Euan Davidson

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/calderbank/status/12947214386 Michael Calderbank

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/lynnemiles/status/12949991112 Lynne Miles

RT @sunny_hundal: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI (at @leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/houseoftwits/status/12947263552 House Of Twits

RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/mr_onions/status/12947282431 Richard Johnson

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/kmflett/status/12947309107 keith flett

RT @houseoftwits: RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/sunny_hundal/status/12947331944 sunny hundal

Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI (at @leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/alexjthomas/status/12947389764 Alex J. Thomas

RT @sunny_hundal: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI (at @leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/ultra_fox/status/12947446911 Colin Hall

RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI #nastypartyliveson
http://twitter.com/jaekay/status/12947469303 Jae Kay

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://www.ubervu.com/conversations/www.leftfootforward.org/2010/04/tory-ppc-forced-to-delete-homophobic-remarks-from-website/ uberVU – social comments

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This post was mentioned on Twitter by leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI...
http://twitter.com/prd0042/status/12947500442 Patrick Daykin

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/niknocee/status/12947509203 Nimrod Weiselfish

RT @sunny_hundal: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI (at @leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/johnhalton/status/12947511092 johnhalton

RT @HouseofTwits: RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/their_vodka/status/12947512883 Carol Roper

via @leftfootfwd: Suspended Tory PPC Philip Lardner forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI #GE2010
http://twitter.com/f8vnz/status/12947570929 Philip Painter

RT @BBCLauraK: Philip Lardner, Conservative, has been immediately suspended for 'offensive' comments on homosexuality http://is.gd/bJSYo
http://twitter.com/thinkdebate/status/12947586023 Think Debate

RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/alenka_m/status/12950418309 Alenka Manley

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/04/tory-ppc-forced-to-delete-homophobic-remarks-from-website/ LOVELY MAN. NAAHHHT
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/04/27/tuesday-27th-april/ Liberal Conspiracy » Tuesday 27th April

[...] 3:20pm: Tory candidate Philip Lardner has been suspended for making ‘offensive’ comments on homosexuality. See Left Foot Forward. [...]
http://twitter.com/paul_burgin/status/12947699769 Paul Burgin

RT @poblishLab "Tory PPC forced to delete hom…": A Cons Party candidate who said Enoch Powell " was… http://bit.ly/bXTgJx #labour
http://twitter.com/theodelaney/status/12947758085 Theo Delaney

RT @SkyNewsBreak: Tories suspend candidate Philip Lardner over 'deeply offensive' comments about homosexuality >> http://bit.ly/9SsgQI #ge10
http://twitter.com/andy_s_64/status/12947819995 Andy Sutherland

Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI /via @leftfootfwd < What's changed Dave? #sameoldtories
http://twitter.com/myinfamy/status/12947833337 Daniel Pitt

Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website http://bit.ly/9SsgQI #torytombstone
http://twitter.com/antmccaul/status/12947880441 Anthony McCaul

RT @HouseofTwitsLab: RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/thebadrash/status/12947908281 Tom Clarke

RT @their_vodka: via @leftfootfwd: Suspended Tory PPC Philip Lardner forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI #GE2010
http://twitter.com/thebadrash/status/12947908281 Tom Clarke

RT @their_vodka: via @leftfootfwd: Suspended Tory PPC Philip Lardner forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI #GE2010
http://twitter.com/chrisplol/status/12947938936 Chris Paul

RT @HouseOfTwitsLab: RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/chrisplol/status/12947938936 Chris Paul

RT @HouseOfTwitsLab: RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/trumptonfireman/status/12947945706 Graham_Pugh

@ACloakedFigure http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://ratemytory.org.uk/2010/04/27/failed-cover-up-of-0-ppcs-homophobic-views/ 0% PPC suspended for homophobic views « Rate My Tory

[...] homophobic comments were captured by Left Foot Forward before being removed to try and cover up the odious Tory’s [...]
http://twitter.com/andrewwright2/status/12948319535 Andrew Wright

RT @leftfootfwd Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/stevegreer/status/12948368508 Steve Greer

Minimal credit for withdrawing homophobic Tory PCC: big #fail for letting him be nominated at all. http://bit.ly/9SsgQI /via @leftfootfwd
http://twitter.com/plegrain/status/12948734901 Philippe Legrain

RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: Tory PPC sacked for saying homosexuality was "not normal". But remarks were deleted from his website http://bit.ly/9YmVm7
http://twitter.com/5raphaels/status/12948911992 Sarah Raphael

RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: Tory PPC sacked for saying homosexuality was "not normal". But remarks were deleted from his website http://bit.ly/9YmVm7
http://www.cosmodaddy.com/2010/04/27/not-another-tory-homophobe/ Cosmodaddy » Blog Archive » Not Another Tory Homophobe?!

[...] Tories | No Comments » Is it contagious with them? Conservative Party parliamentary candidate Philip Lardner made a vicious attack on homosexuality, before being forced to take his remarks down from his campaign [...]
http://twitter.com/nmolloy/status/12949065333 nmolloy

RT @wdjstraw: BREAKING: Tory PPC sacked for saying homosexuality was "not normal". But remarks were deleted from his website http://bit.ly/9YmVm7
http://twitter.com/pity_kitty/status/12949419123 Kathryn Hyde

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/la8nesswhite/status/12949474562 Laura Anne White

Yet another Homophobic Tory Mp sacked ~ http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/04/tory-ppc-forced-to-delete-homophobic-remarks-from-website/
Liz McShane

The man has got form – he was suspended for making racist comments and surprise, surprise was re-instated in 2008 – so much for Cameron’s ‘Progressive Conservatives..
Liz McShane

According to the New Statesman, Gay support for Tories (as of yesterday) had plummeted to 9% (after Grayling’s B&B remarks) so hopefully it will crash to zero by the end of the week.
http://bestblogs.labourhome.org/2010/04/27/tory-ppc-forced-to-delete-homophobic-remarks-from-website/ Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website « The best Labour blogs

[...] More… [...]
Sean O’Hare

Yet another reason why I will not be voting Tory. How dare they suspend him for expressing his views. Whatever happended to freedom of speech?
Liz McShane

Sean – freedom of speech is one thing, but his views are pretty outrageous and out of kilter even with the official Tory party line and do not represent the modern norms of the society we live in. Freedom of speech and responsibility go hand in hand.
http://twitter.com/olivereast/status/12956794613 Oliver East

Wow. One minute Tory Mp massive homophobe, next minute not so much http://bit.ly/9YmVm7 They. Have. Not. Changed.
http://twitter.com/therightpunter/status/12957851133 Roy Michael Tapping

Lovely #tory #homophobia http://j.mp/byNsyB Leopards don't change their spots. Please retweet. #ge2010
http://twitter.com/gamesetfrankie/status/12958410583 Frankie Fieldson

http://tinyurl.com/322zhvn This makes me ashamed to be human.
http://twitter.com/paulinecjones/status/12958599908 PaulineCampbellJones

RT @therightpunter: Lovely #tory #homophobia http://j.mp/byNsyB Leopards don't change their spots. Please retweet. #ge2010
http://twitter.com/metalblackbird/status/12959485079 A von Spreckelsen

RT @olivereast: Wow. One minute Tory Mp massive homophobe, next minute not so much http://bit.ly/9YmVm7 They. Have. Not. Changed.
http://twitter.com/cornishcalzone/status/12959587947 Martha

RT @olivereast: Wow. One minute Tory Mp massive homophobe, next minute not so much http://bit.ly/9YmVm7 They. Have. Not. Changed.
http://twitter.com/coal2k/status/12960059986 Fee

RT @therightpunter: Lovely #tory #homophobia http://j.mp/byNsyB Leopards don't change their spots. Please retweet. #ge2010
http://twitter.com/mjdoughty/status/12958206747 Matt Doughty

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
http://twitter.com/hettie_dehora/status/12960749754 Hettie DeHora

RT @therightpunter: Lovely #tory #homophobia http://j.mp/byNsyB Leopards don't change their spots. Please retweet. #ge2010
http://twitter.com/oscarpower/status/12960835725 Oscar Power

Both as twattish as the other- http://tinyurl.com/3ac7zew http://tinyurl.com/322zhvn
Tory and Labour candidates chucked out.
Mr. Sensible

He has been suspended.

So what about Mr Grayling?
http://twitter.com/thedharmablues/status/12966374812 Ryan Bestford

"Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website" – http://bit.ly/c94V0X (via @leftfootfwd)
Major Plonquer

What an arse. I think we should know EVERY politician’s thoughts on homosexuality, anal sex, rimming, dogging, paedophilia and every other activity that we normal people normally do in our normal daily normality.

No thought police here then, eh?
Ermm

Yeah, clearly this guy is correct – homosexuality is not the norm, and despite what the PC brigade say, i think he displays quite a libertarian view on this (each to their own…)

Chris Graylings comments also were unfairly jumped on, after all a B&B is somebody’s private property, and they should be allowed to let in whomever they want. If it were a gay couple running the B&B who turned away a Christian couple then i suspect most people would think they were well within their right to do so.

Its the double standards of this PC nonsense which is the worst thing. A bit of common sense please?
http://twitter.com/june4th/status/13004939670 Noxi

Tory PPC forced 2 delete homophobic remarks from site- Lardner suspended, will not contest seat | Left Foot Forward http://ow.ly/1DJIq #lgbt
http://twitter.com/bookelfleeds/status/13016167162 “I am a powerful wom

RT @sunny_hundal: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website: http://bit.ly/9SsgQI (at @leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/robbelaw/status/13075786500 Robert Law

Tory PPC forced to delete http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/04/tory-ppc-forced-to-delete-homophobic-remarks-from-website/
http://twitter.com/h_ohms/status/13116534599 Helen Holmes

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website http://bit.ly/9SsgQI
Tom White

Ermm is talking rubbish: there’s nothing abnormal about being gay.

A B and B is a business, not a private house. If you don’t want gays in your private house, then don’t turn it into a business. There’s some common sense for you, right there. And that goes for everyone – there’s no double standard here, despite the desperate attempt to make one up.
http://twitter.com/iman4d/status/13191283987 iman4d

RT @leftfootfwd: Tory PPC forced to delete homophobic remarks from website http://bit.ly/9SsgQI this sums these scum up
http://twitter.com/jczech/status/13202700081 Josie

@misscole http://bit.ly/bbU7zj http://bit.ly/cGxyfq http://bit.ly/biVxRh
http://twitter.com/scarletsdad/status/13265401954 jamie baker

http://bit.ly/adMyzZ #toryfail
http://twitter.com/hope_c/status/13268252035 Hope Carney

@timminchin i thought you might like this. it demonstrates once again the Tories are idiots ! http://bit.ly/adMyzZ
http://twitter.com/f5cdofficial/status/13354696786 Jessica Ottowell

#toryfail http://bit.ly/9nPWqX http:// bit.ly/dsPAhi http://bit.ly/9vhUA9 http://bit.ly/9YmVm7 http://bit.ly/94hmtx