Gay Tory minister defends appointment of anti-equal marriage Minister for Women
Planning minister Nick Boles has rejected criticism over the appointment of Nicky Morgan as the new Minister for Women.
In a government reshuffle on Wednesday, sparked by the resignation of Culture Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities Maria Miller, Ms Morgan was appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury and also Minister for Women.
Unlike the new Equalities Secretary Sajid Javid, she voted against same-sex marriage last year, saying “marriage is between a man and a woman.”
Labour criticised the appointment of Ms Morgan, due to her voting record and also with the reshuffle resulting in the joint ministerial portfolio of women and equalities being separated for the first time since its creation in 1997.
Ms Morgan will report directly to the Prime Minister and not the Equalities Secretary, leading several critics to accuse David Cameron of making the Minister for Women post subordinate to a man.
However, Conservative MP and Planning minister Nick Boles tweeted it was a “tedious suggestion” to make.
Nothing irritates me more about the left than the tedious suggestion that the rights & interests of women can only be promoted by a woman.
— Nick Boles (@NickBolesMP) April 9, 2014
He added: “Does that mean that my rights & interests as a gay man can only be promoted by another gay man.”
