UKIP politician doesn’t want police to ‘ponce around’ at Pride events
UKIP’s David Kurten (Leon Neal/Getty)
Police should not “ponce around” at LGBT+ events run by “political activists”, according to UKIP politician David Kurten.
Kurten, a Brexiteer who resigned as UKIP’s education spokesperson in December 2018 over the party’s ties with far-right extremist Tommy Robinson, is currently an elected member of the London Assembly.
He tweeted on August 11: “The job of the police is to find criminals and lock them up. It is not to ponce around in rainbows at an event run by political activists.”
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “ponce” as an “offensive and disparaging” term for a “male homosexual”.
David Kurten statement liked by Tory councillor.
Kurten’s tweet has been liked 2,400 times, including by the Conservative Isle of Wight councillor Ian Ward.
Ward told Isle of Wight News, who first spotted that Ward liked Kurten’s tweet, that he didn’t consider the words to be offensive.
“I don’t necessarily agree with the subject of the posts, but there is freedom of speech. We are all entitled to an opinion. I do not ‘like’ anything people may find offensive,” Ward, who is the transport cabinet member for the Isle of Wight council, said.
The job of the police is to find criminals and lock them up. It is not to ponce around in rainbows at an event run by political activists. https://t.co/Z0r8SHmudv
— David Kurten (@davidkurten) August 10, 2019
Former UKIP leadership hopeful a staunch opponent of LGBT+ rights.
Kurten, who is a member of the Brexit Alliance within the London Assembly, is a vocal opponent of LGBT+ rights.
He was a UKIP leadership hopeful in 2017 when PinkNews revealed his staunch opposition to same-sex marriage.
Kurten also told party members that he believes homosexuality is linked to childhood sexual abuse.
Backed by influential Leave campaigner Arron Banks, he came third in his bid to become UKIP leader.
Brexit donor Banks previously described homosexuality as a “lifestyle choice”.
Kurten unsuccessfully stood as UKIP’s candidate in the Lewisham East by-election in June 2018, coming sixth with 380 votes.
PinkNews has contacted Ian Ward and David Kurten for comment.
