Community

Dominic Grieve, who said homosexuals are ‘a bit weird’, quits as Attorney General

Jul 14 2014
Written by Nick Duffy

Tory MP Dominic Grieve, who claimed homosexuals are ‘a bit weird’, has stepped down from his post as Attorney General during this evening’s reshuffle.

Grieve said in 2012: “I think being a practising homosexual is a bit like being a practising member of the Church of England.

“It’s one of those things which you have to explain. It’s thought to be a little bit weird by large numbers of people.”

Mr Grieve, who has been the MP for Beaconsfield since 1997, later apologised for his comments, adding: “My remark was illustrative of the prejudices of others.”

He had been Attorney General since the beginning of the Coalition in 2010.

David Jones MP, who said same-sex couples “clearly” could not provide “a warm and safe environment for the upbringing of children,” was today sacked as Welsh Minister.

Alan Duncan, the first gay Tory MP, also stepped down as International Development minister his own request.

Elsewhere in the wide-ranging government reshuffle, veteran MP Ken Clarke, who voted for same-sex marriage, would step down as a minister without portfolio, while Transport minister Stephen Hammond, Police minister Damian Green, and Universities minister David Willetts have all been sacked.

Appointments are due to be made tomorrow.