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| Niall Ferguson apology over Keynes remarks | Niall Ferguson apology over Keynes remarks |
| (3 days later) | |
| Harvard history professor Niall Ferguson has apologised for saying the economist John Maynard Keynes did not care about society's future because he was gay and had no children. | Harvard history professor Niall Ferguson has apologised for saying the economist John Maynard Keynes did not care about society's future because he was gay and had no children. |
| Prof Ferguson, one of Britain's best-known historians, made the comments at a conference in California on Thursday. | |
| Mr Keynes was an influential British economist who died in 1946. | Mr Keynes was an influential British economist who died in 1946. |
| Prof Ferguson has now apologised "unreservedly" for what he called "stupid" and "insensitive" remarks. | Prof Ferguson has now apologised "unreservedly" for what he called "stupid" and "insensitive" remarks. |
| He was asked to comment on Keynes's famous observation of "in the long run we are all dead". | |
| In unscripted remarks during a question and answer session, the high-profile historian and writer said Keynes was indifferent to the long run because he had no children, and that he had no children because he was gay. | |
| 'Detest prejudice' | 'Detest prejudice' |
| But in a statement posted on his website, he said it was obvious that people who do not have children also care about future generations. The historian also insisted he was not homophobic. | But in a statement posted on his website, he said it was obvious that people who do not have children also care about future generations. The historian also insisted he was not homophobic. |
| "My disagreements with Keynes's economic philosophy have never had anything to do with his sexual orientation," he wrote. | "My disagreements with Keynes's economic philosophy have never had anything to do with his sexual orientation," he wrote. |
| "It is simply false to suggest, as I did, that his approach to economic policy was inspired by any aspect of his personal life. As those who know me and my work are well aware, I detest all prejudice, sexual or otherwise." | "It is simply false to suggest, as I did, that his approach to economic policy was inspired by any aspect of his personal life. As those who know me and my work are well aware, I detest all prejudice, sexual or otherwise." |
| In 1926, Keynes married Lydia Lopokova, a Russian ballerina, and Prof Ferguson also said he had forgotten that she had miscarried. |