Would-be MP calls Tory candidate a ‘homosexual pervert’
An independent candidate for Salford and Eccles has received a police warning for calling a gay Tory candidate a “homosexual pervert”.
Matthew Sephton, the chair of LGBTory, was selected as the Conservative candidate for the seat last weekend.
But independent candidate Richard Carvath wrote on his blog: “I very much doubt that the vast majority of the Salford and Eccles electorate will want to be represented by a prominent homosexual activist.”
After a complaint was received, local police constable Jacky Thompson wrote to Carvath to advise him the remarks were “borderline criminal” and asked him to remove the post.
Responding, Carvath wrote: “Homosexuality is a perversion: that is both moral truth and medical fact. Therefore it is quite reasonable for me to refer to a person in whom the perversion of homosexuality is manifest as a homosexual pervert.”
He added: “Even if it were a crime I’m a British evangelical Christian so nothing and nobody is going to tell me what I can and can’t say in my own country. As a Christian I speak and act out of love – not hate – so my motive for referring to homosexuality as a perversion is love.”
He also attacked police for “suppressing” his free speech.
Sephton told PinkNews.co.uk: “As an unknown potential candidate, Mr Carvath is an irrelevance in this election campaign. He has been spouting nonsense and trying to spread hate in much of his campaigning so far and this is simply the latest example of it.”
He added: “I think the people of Salford and Eccles are mature and responsible people. They are not interested in the sexuality of any of the candidates, they are interested in the issues that matter and in electing somebody who can do a good and effective job at representing them in the House of Commons.”
Some readers of Carvath’s blog suggested he had made the comments to gain publicity.
Carvath has written before of his frustration at local press not covering his candidacy.
