UKIP Chair: ‘Gay marriage caused storms’ councillor’s views on weather contrary to UKIP principles
The Chairman of UKIP in the South East of England, Roger Bird has said that the views expressed by UKIP councillor David Silvester on the weather were contrary to the core principles of the party.
Mr Silvester claimed that same-sex marriage caused storms that battered the UK during December and January. He also claimed that homosexuality could be cured by prayer to God and that abortion laws have killed more people than the total number of Jews murdered in the Holocaust by the Nazis.
Mr Bird said:”We cannot have any individual using the UKIP banner to promote their controversial personal beliefs which are not shared by the Party.
“Everyone is entitled to their own religious ideology which is central to a free and fair society. Councillor Silvester’s views are his own and in no way reflect the Party’s position. Indeed Councillor Silvester himself has clearly stated this.
“However, Councillor Silvester has today acted contrary to Party requests and continued to court the media in order to promote his own personal beliefs. This has caused significant offence to many people and goes against the core principles of UKIP.
“It is not fair on the many thousands of hard working members of UKIP to have one person take attention away from their efforts and successes by promoting their own controversial views despite being requested not to do so.”
Mr Farage had earlier defended Mr Silvester’s right to blame gay couples marrying for the storms.
@_glenners_ I don't agree with what he said but people in this world hold different views. UKIP do not kick people out for being religious.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) January 18, 2014
Mr Silvester defected to UKIP from the Conservatives in 2012 in opposition to same-sex marriage in a letter to his local newspaper, the Henley Standard, published on PinkNews yesterday, Mr Silvester 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.
“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: “Now, even as Cameron sheds crocodile tears on behalf of destitute flooded homeowners, playing at advocate against the very local councils he has made cash-strapped, it is his fault that large swathes of the nation have been afflicted by storms and floods.”
“Since the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act, the nation has been beset by serious storms and floods.”
Mr Silvester has not responded to calls from PinkNews requesting an interview but did speak to BBC Oxford this morning. Asked by the presenter if he was being serious in relation to the cause of the floods, he responded: “I am serious,” adding: “I believe about what the bible says about right and wrong”.
When asked about his views on issues such as abortion, the elected representative said: “More children have been murdered by abortion than Jews died in the concentration camps”.
The councillor, who used to be treasurer of his local Conservative party before he quit claimed: “God wants all gay men to repent and be healed. I don’t believe it’s right to leave them as they are”.
“That’s not God’s purpose.”
“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.
“Now, even as Cameron sheds crocodile tears on behalf of destitute flooded homeowners, playing at advocate against the very local councils he has made cash-strapped, it is his fault that large swathes of the nation have been afflicted by storms and floods.
“He has arrogantly acted against the Gospel that once made Britain “great” and the lesson surely to be learned is that no man or men, however powerful, can mess with Almighty God with impunity and get away with it for everything a nation does is weighed on the scaled of divine approval or disapproval.”
He added:”Since the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act, the nation has been beset by serious storms and floods.
“One recent one caused the worst flooding for 60 years. The Christmas floods were the worst for 127 years. Is this just global warming or is there something more serious at work?”
When the Queen gave Royal Assent to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act, David Cameron wrote for PinkNews.co.uk. In his article he said: “I am proud that we have made same-sex marriage happen. I am delighted that the love two people have for each other – and the commitment they want to make – can now be recognised as equal. I have backed this reform because I believe in commitment, responsibility and family. I don’t want to see people’s love divided by law.
“Making marriage available to everyone says so much about the society that we are and the society that we want to live in – one which respects individuals regardless of their sexuality. If a group is told again and again that they are less valuable, over time they may start to believe it. In addition to the personal damage that this can cause, it inhibits the potential of a nation. For this reason too, I am pleased that we have had the courage to change.”
UKIP’s official position is that it supports same-sex civil partnerships but opposes same-sex marriages. The first same-sex marriages will be held in March of this year.
