Hague defends Tory PPC who “tried to ‘cure’ gay people”

Left Foot Forward

William Hague defended yet another homophobic Tory candidate today, Philippa Stroud - who founded a church that tried to "cure" homosexuals through prayer.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague defended yet another homophobic Tory candidate today, Philippa Stroud – who founded a church that tried to “cure” homosexuals by driving out their “demons” through prayer. Stroud, the Conservative Party PPC for Sutton and Cheam, is head of the right-wing think tank The Centre for Social Justice, a group David Cameron addressed in a keynote speech on “Broken Britain” last Tuesday.

Hague, speaking on BBC Radio 5 this morning, also defended the Tories’ anti-gay far-Right allies in Europe, and said Stroud’s case was different from that of Philip Lardner, suspended from standing for the Conservatives in North Ayrshire and Arran, who had said homosexuality was “not normal”. To describe Stroud as homophobic, insisted Hague, would be “false” and “misleading”.

Listen to his interview:

Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, criticised Stroud, telling today’s Guardian:

“It would be highly regrettable if someone who continued to hold these views held any significant office in government.”

This is just the latest in a series of anti-gay stories about Tory MPs, candidates and allies in recent months; these include the homophobic remarks of Chris Grayling and Julian Lewis. Both men remain members of David Cameron’s front bench team.

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88 Responses to “Hague defends Tory PPC who “tried to ‘cure’ gay people””

  1. Cosmodaddy » Blog Archive » William Hague Defending Evangelical Homophobia

    […] William Hague Defending Evangelical Homophobia Posted: May 4th, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Politics, gay rights, general election, human rights | Tags: BBC Radio 5, Conservative Party, gay, homophobia, homosexuality, Philippa Stroud, Tories, William Hague | No Comments » Well I guess his party needs all the votes it can get in the run-up to Thursday, but this is makes alarming listening: […]

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  5. Vegan Panda

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