This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25802437
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| UKIP suspends councillor who blamed flooding on gay marriage | UKIP suspends councillor who blamed flooding on gay marriage |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| UKIP has suspended an Oxfordshire councillor after he blamed recent flooding on the government's decision to legalise gay marriage. | UKIP has suspended an Oxfordshire councillor after he blamed recent flooding on the government's decision to legalise gay marriage. |
| In a letter to his local paper, David Silvester said he had warned the PM the legislation would result in "disaster". | In a letter to his local paper, David Silvester said he had warned the PM the legislation would result in "disaster". |
| He said David Cameron had acted "arrogantly against the Gospel". | He said David Cameron had acted "arrogantly against the Gospel". |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he was entitled to his "strong Baptist view of the world", but had defied a request not to do further media interviews. | UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he was entitled to his "strong Baptist view of the world", but had defied a request not to do further media interviews. |
| Mr Farage said: "So we suspended him, quite rightly." | Mr Farage said: "So we suspended him, quite rightly." |
| 'Extremist, barmy or nasty' | 'Extremist, barmy or nasty' |
| "He's not a spokesman for the party," Mr Farage continued, adding: "I've never even met him." | "He's not a spokesman for the party," Mr Farage continued, adding: "I've never even met him." |
| Conservative Business Minister Michael Fallon said UKIP was "the only big protest party at the moment" and still counted "one or two fruitcakes" among its members. | |
| He told BBC One's Sunday Politics: "Protest parties obviously hoover up a lot of votes and that's why we've got to be very clear now in our European message that we're the only party that can reform Europe and give people a proper choice: the first [EU] referendum for over 40 years." | |
| Earlier, Mr Farage had told the Sun on Sunday that "about five" of the 13 MEPs elected for UKIP in 2009 would not stand again. | |
| "Some have been pushed and some have jumped," he explained. | "Some have been pushed and some have jumped," he explained. |
| "Politics needs people with personality and backgrounds and they will all have one or two flaws. | "Politics needs people with personality and backgrounds and they will all have one or two flaws. |
| "I have my own red lines on this. That is real extremism and nastiness." | "I have my own red lines on this. That is real extremism and nastiness." |
| UKIP planned to vet all 1,818 candidates to ensure it didn't have "extremist, barmy or nasty" views, the Sun on Sunday reported. | UKIP planned to vet all 1,818 candidates to ensure it didn't have "extremist, barmy or nasty" views, the Sun on Sunday reported. |
| Mr Silvester, from Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, defected to UKIP from the Conservatives in protest at David Cameron's support for same-sex unions. | Mr Silvester, from Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, defected to UKIP from the Conservatives in protest at David Cameron's support for same-sex unions. |
| 'Sluts' jibe | 'Sluts' jibe |
| In the letter to the Henley Standard he wrote: "The scriptures make it abundantly clear that a Christian nation that abandons its faith and acts contrary to the Gospel (and in naked breach of a coronation oath) will be beset by natural disasters such as storms, disease, pestilence and war." | In the letter to the Henley Standard he wrote: "The scriptures make it abundantly clear that a Christian nation that abandons its faith and acts contrary to the Gospel (and in naked breach of a coronation oath) will be beset by natural disasters such as storms, disease, pestilence and war." |
| He added: "I wrote to David Cameron in April 2012 to warn him that disasters would accompany the passage of his same-sex marriage bill. | He added: "I wrote to David Cameron in April 2012 to warn him that disasters would accompany the passage of his same-sex marriage bill. |
| "But he went ahead despite a 600,000-signature petition by concerned Christians and more than half of his own parliamentary party saying that he should not do so. | "But he went ahead despite a 600,000-signature petition by concerned Christians and more than half of his own parliamentary party saying that he should not do so. |
| "It is his fault that large swathes of the nation have been afflicted by storms and floods." | "It is his fault that large swathes of the nation have been afflicted by storms and floods." |
| He went on to say that no man, however powerful "can mess with Almighty God with impunity and get away with it". | He went on to say that no man, however powerful "can mess with Almighty God with impunity and get away with it". |
| The Rev Colin Coward, from Anglican group Changing Attitude, said: "I don't know where David worships, but clearly it's in a sect, a church which is not mainstream in its Christian practice and teaching. | The Rev Colin Coward, from Anglican group Changing Attitude, said: "I don't know where David worships, but clearly it's in a sect, a church which is not mainstream in its Christian practice and teaching. |
| "It's just prejudice that he is justifying on the grounds of his particular brand of Christianity." | "It's just prejudice that he is justifying on the grounds of his particular brand of Christianity." |
| A group representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members of UKIP said: "We are pleased to learn of the suspension of Cllr Silvester. | A group representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members of UKIP said: "We are pleased to learn of the suspension of Cllr Silvester. |
| "His comments did not only defy logic but they were insulting and have brought the party into disrepute." | "His comments did not only defy logic but they were insulting and have brought the party into disrepute." |
| In September, MEP Godfrey Bloom quit the UKIP group in the European parliament after joking that a group of UKIP women who did not clean behind their fridges were "sluts". | In September, MEP Godfrey Bloom quit the UKIP group in the European parliament after joking that a group of UKIP women who did not clean behind their fridges were "sluts". |
| He had previously faced criticism for referring to countries receiving government aid as "Bongo Bongo Land". | He had previously faced criticism for referring to countries receiving government aid as "Bongo Bongo Land". |