Labour brands Tory anti-gay candidate a ‘bigot’ and questions how he can represent LGBT voters
Labour is demanding the Conservatives take action against one of their local candidates who believes Ofsted is seeking to impose a “homosexual agenda on schools.”
Mufti Shah Sadruddin is standing as a Conservative Party council candidate in Newham, east London.
In a YouTube video Mr Sadruddin refers to “the gays” and says that because Jews “have this Holocaust”, Muslims should fight for “rights”.
He adds: “We have to create a revolution for our rights. The gays can get their rights…but when Islam is being abused we can’t even save it.”
The post cites a news article about how Ofsted was seeking to implement new teaching guidance on same-sex relationships.
The Conservative Party’s LGBT group has expressed its dismay and concern at the language of Mr Sadruddin.
Both Mr Sadruddin and the Newham Conservative Association have failed to respond to requests by PinkNews to comment.
Conservative Party Central Office say the matter is for the local association.
On Wednesday evening, Labour London Assembly Member Tom Copley tweeted to say: “You can’t teach children to become gay. You can teach them to become bigots though.”
You can’t teach children to become gay. You can teach them to become bigots though https://t.co/CpgWEbbiYj
— Tom Copley (@tomcopley) May 21, 2014
Tom Burke, National Co-Chair of LGBTLabour said the candidacy of Mr Sadruddin raised questions about the Conservative Party’s vetting process.
In a statement to PinkNews.co.uk, Mr Burke said: “Mr Sadruddin is right that gay people now have rights; proudly achieved by a Labour Government. This progress is not at the expense of others but about creating a community where everyone is valued, treated with dignity and their rights respected.”
“The reported comments by Mr Sadruddin raises concerns about how he would be able to stand up for and represent LGBT people in Newham. The Conservative Party are responsible for the behaviour and vetting of their candidates and cannot simply pass the buck to the local party.”
Mr Burke added: “Whilst Mr Sadruddin comments on the Ofsted guidance may sound fringe; it comes just a year after former Conservative defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth described the ‘aggressive homosexual community’.
“It seems that for too many in the Conservative Party LGBT equality is something to fear rather than work towards. The only ‘indoctrination’ needed is amongst Conservative candidates so they become committed to LGBT equality.”
