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| Gay marriage vote: why it's groundhog day for the Tories | Gay marriage vote: why it's groundhog day for the Tories |
| (4 months later) | |
| If only those Conservative backbenchers who are now so exercised about the evils of same-sex marriage would swivel their eyes back to the speech David Cameron made a few years ago, they might just understand what the majority of the public really think. | If only those Conservative backbenchers who are now so exercised about the evils of same-sex marriage would swivel their eyes back to the speech David Cameron made a few years ago, they might just understand what the majority of the public really think. |
| "There is something special about marriage. It's not about religion. It's not about morality. It's about commitment. When you stand up there, in front of your friends and family in front of the world, what you are really doing really means something brave and important. You are publicly saying: it's not about "me, me, me," anymore. It's about "we": together, the two of us, through thick and thin. That really matters. And by the way, it means something whether you are a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, or a man and another man." | "There is something special about marriage. It's not about religion. It's not about morality. It's about commitment. When you stand up there, in front of your friends and family in front of the world, what you are really doing really means something brave and important. You are publicly saying: it's not about "me, me, me," anymore. It's about "we": together, the two of us, through thick and thin. That really matters. And by the way, it means something whether you are a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, or a man and another man." |
| The Conservative party has always been a riddle within an enigma regarding homosexuality. It has been rather strange that those who have been intolerant of homosexuals and who think that gays have hijacked "their" party seem blissfully unaware that the friends of Dorothy were very much the friends of Margaret. Her greatest and most influential political secretary, whom she revered, was the openly gay Stephen Sherbourne. Most insiders are of the view that when he left No 10 the slide to her destruction had begun. | The Conservative party has always been a riddle within an enigma regarding homosexuality. It has been rather strange that those who have been intolerant of homosexuals and who think that gays have hijacked "their" party seem blissfully unaware that the friends of Dorothy were very much the friends of Margaret. Her greatest and most influential political secretary, whom she revered, was the openly gay Stephen Sherbourne. Most insiders are of the view that when he left No 10 the slide to her destruction had begun. |
| It was best summed up by Lord Black, who was once David Cameron's boss at the Conservative Research Department in the 80s: "It was one of those phenomena that, when the Conservative party nationally appeared to be at its most homophobic, at the very heart of the organisation were all these influential gay men. Although everybody knew what was going on, nobody made it very obvious". | It was best summed up by Lord Black, who was once David Cameron's boss at the Conservative Research Department in the 80s: "It was one of those phenomena that, when the Conservative party nationally appeared to be at its most homophobic, at the very heart of the organisation were all these influential gay men. Although everybody knew what was going on, nobody made it very obvious". |
| This has always fascinated me. There were three champions for the decriminalisation of the wicked homosexuality laws, Enoch Powell, Iain Macleod and Margaret Thatcher. But even Thatcher knew she just could not take her party much further even if she wanted to, which sadly she clearly didn't. | This has always fascinated me. There were three champions for the decriminalisation of the wicked homosexuality laws, Enoch Powell, Iain Macleod and Margaret Thatcher. But even Thatcher knew she just could not take her party much further even if she wanted to, which sadly she clearly didn't. |
| John Major, who first tried to detoxify the party, invited the actor Ian McKellen for a meeting about gay issues. He wanted to repeal section 28 and modernise the equality laws but it would have been impossible. His party were obsessing about Europe to the point of self-destruction. | John Major, who first tried to detoxify the party, invited the actor Ian McKellen for a meeting about gay issues. He wanted to repeal section 28 and modernise the equality laws but it would have been impossible. His party were obsessing about Europe to the point of self-destruction. |
| If you really want to try and understand the disconnect that the Conservative party has traditionally had with homosexuality, it is instructive to trawl though Hansard at the time of the decriminalisation debates in the 50s. Although public opinion had moved in favour of reform this didn't prevent the bigots coming out in force. | If you really want to try and understand the disconnect that the Conservative party has traditionally had with homosexuality, it is instructive to trawl though Hansard at the time of the decriminalisation debates in the 50s. Although public opinion had moved in favour of reform this didn't prevent the bigots coming out in force. |
| Lord Winterton is a fellow worth quoting: "This nauseating subject … fornication and adultery are evils … nothing does more evil or does more harm than the filthy, disgusting, unnatural vice of homosexuality". This tirade came with great hilarity from their lordships as they had just passed the Wankie Colliery bill. | Lord Winterton is a fellow worth quoting: "This nauseating subject … fornication and adultery are evils … nothing does more evil or does more harm than the filthy, disgusting, unnatural vice of homosexuality". This tirade came with great hilarity from their lordships as they had just passed the Wankie Colliery bill. |
| And then there was William Shepherd MP: "Incest is a much more natural act than homosexuality." His speech was followed by his colleague James Dance, "It was the condoning of these offences which led to the fall of Nazi Germany." | And then there was William Shepherd MP: "Incest is a much more natural act than homosexuality." His speech was followed by his colleague James Dance, "It was the condoning of these offences which led to the fall of Nazi Germany." |
| But my favourite piece of gratuitous homophobic piece of prejudice of the time came from Sir Cyril Osborne, who brought academic rigour to the debate. "The sponsors of this bill claim that there about one million 'homos' in this country … I do not believe that our country is as rotten as that. It is an awful slur on the good name of the country. I have never come across a homo in this house". I suspect that nowadays Winterton, Shepherd and Osborne would be welcomed into Ukip, the sort of party one instinctively feels watches Roots backwards so that there is a happy ending. | But my favourite piece of gratuitous homophobic piece of prejudice of the time came from Sir Cyril Osborne, who brought academic rigour to the debate. "The sponsors of this bill claim that there about one million 'homos' in this country … I do not believe that our country is as rotten as that. It is an awful slur on the good name of the country. I have never come across a homo in this house". I suspect that nowadays Winterton, Shepherd and Osborne would be welcomed into Ukip, the sort of party one instinctively feels watches Roots backwards so that there is a happy ending. |
| Then of course we suffered the horrors of section 28 and the visceral opposition to equality of the age of consent. When I informed my local association that I intended to vote for equality some of the letters I received were chillingly unpleasant. One old boy, whom I had always regarded as a friend, wrote that I was only supporting the bill because I wanted my eight-year-old son to be sodomised. Scary stuff. | Then of course we suffered the horrors of section 28 and the visceral opposition to equality of the age of consent. When I informed my local association that I intended to vote for equality some of the letters I received were chillingly unpleasant. One old boy, whom I had always regarded as a friend, wrote that I was only supporting the bill because I wanted my eight-year-old son to be sodomised. Scary stuff. |
| So this is the problem we face today. There are about 32 hardline Tory backbenchers who signed the Westminster Declaration opposing same-sex marriage before the 2010 election. These are the implacable hardliners, the ones who warn us of "aggressive homosexuals" and who tried to derail the gay marriage bill last night. | So this is the problem we face today. There are about 32 hardline Tory backbenchers who signed the Westminster Declaration opposing same-sex marriage before the 2010 election. These are the implacable hardliners, the ones who warn us of "aggressive homosexuals" and who tried to derail the gay marriage bill last night. |
| And what of the rest who have marched through the lobbies? Utterly terrified of the backlash from their local supporters with a dull fear in their stomachs that the Kippers will snatch their seats. How craven. How totally out of touch. How deeply insulting to those who believe that marriage is about love, commitment and fidelity. Whatever gender they might be. | And what of the rest who have marched through the lobbies? Utterly terrified of the backlash from their local supporters with a dull fear in their stomachs that the Kippers will snatch their seats. How craven. How totally out of touch. How deeply insulting to those who believe that marriage is about love, commitment and fidelity. Whatever gender they might be. |
| MEP Roger Helmer wrote this: "Homophobia is merely a propaganda device designed to denigrate and stigmatise those holding conventional opinions which have been held by most people through most of recorded history." Helmer now sits on the Ukip benches. I wish that those on the Tory backbenchers who share the same views would join him. They should stop living a lie and come out of the closet and sign up with the Faragistas. | MEP Roger Helmer wrote this: "Homophobia is merely a propaganda device designed to denigrate and stigmatise those holding conventional opinions which have been held by most people through most of recorded history." Helmer now sits on the Ukip benches. I wish that those on the Tory backbenchers who share the same views would join him. They should stop living a lie and come out of the closet and sign up with the Faragistas. |
| So what do we have? A prime minister who has had the courage and leadership to do "the right thing". Backbenchers who are obsessing about Europe to the point of self-destruction. And local associations who are obsessed that same-sex marriage undermines the fabric of society. It's Conservative groundhog day. | So what do we have? A prime minister who has had the courage and leadership to do "the right thing". Backbenchers who are obsessing about Europe to the point of self-destruction. And local associations who are obsessed that same-sex marriage undermines the fabric of society. It's Conservative groundhog day. |
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