LGBT rights campaigner Peter Tatchell defended Ken Livingstone from Tory accusations of homophobia today. In an interview with the New Statesman, London mayoral candidate Ken suggested that the Tory Party used to be ‘riddled’ with closeted gays and that the lesbian and gay MPs in Labour PM Tony Blair’s administration came out because it helped them gain good positions in the party.
In a press release Tatchell points out that the use of the word riddled needs to be taken in context. Moreover, according to Tatchell, the Tory part in the 70s contained many gay hypocrites and even now there are Tory MPs that wish to ditch Cameron’s proposals on gay marriage. Whilst criticising the ex-mayor’s decision to invite the bigot Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi to City Hall in 2004, Tatchell acknowledged the support that the LGBT community received from Ken Livingstone throughout the 1980s, which was a dark era for our community.