Zac Goldsmith drops out of event for ‘anti-gay’ group
PinkNews Exclusive
ToryĀ Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith has dropped out of an event for a think tank whose chair wasĀ suspended from the Conservative Party over a homophobic rant.
The chair ofĀ the right-wing Bow Group, BenjaminĀ Harris-Quinney, was suspended by the Conservative Party in May this year, after PinkNews published a recordingĀ of himĀ delivering a homophobic speech at anĀ anti-LGBTĀ event in Moscow.
In the recording, he claimedĀ āthe LGBT lobbyā has created a āclimate of fearā – and aims to āreduce the age” that children receive sex education in order to “promote the homosexual lifestyle”.
Despite the controversy, and the group’s calls for Tories to ‘tactically’ vote for UKIP before the election earlier this year, Tory MP Zac Goldsmith wasĀ announced to speak at the group’s summer reception.
The group had been selling tickets toĀ the event for Ā£25 – including a keynote speech fromĀ Mr Goldsmith, the frontrunner for the ConservativeĀ nomination for Mayor of London.
However, the MP told PinkNews that he did not agree with Harris-Quinney’s views, had not agreed in full to the format, and would no longer attend the event.
Zac Goldsmith told PinkNews: “I absolutely disassociate myself with these ugly views and much else that the group stands for. But it has to be said that I speak to many organisations I donāt subscribe to and I never shy away from challenging them.
“On a separate note, this event was intended to be one of many where I could informally speak to Conservative Members about their and my priorities for London.
“Unfortunately the Bow Group has been selling the event as a keynote speech from me, which is not something I had ever agreed to do. I will therefore not be taking part.”
