- Friday, April 19, 2024
By: Keerthi Mohan
THE Labour Party is under immense pressure to suspend MP Roger Godsiff after he backed Birmingham school protesters saying they had a “just cause.”
Godsiff represents Anderton Park School and surrounding community, and in an exchange captured on video, he is heard telling demonstrators that they were “in the right.”
A letter demanding his immediate suspension is being circulated online.
It says: “The Labour Party is a party of equality, having long maintained its commitment to being at the forefront of championing people’s rights.
“The party abolished Section 28, equalised the age of consent, created civil partnerships, and it was only through Labour votes that equal marriage became law. Labour has long campaigned for LGBT+ inclusive education in schools.
“For a Labour MP to make discriminatory, highly offensive comments regarding LGBT+ people and to agree with homophobic, transphobic protests against LGBT+ teaching stands at a direct contrast with Labour’s own values and its own manifesto.”
The letter also adds that there is no justifiable reason to stop LGBT classes, and slammed Godsiff for pandering to bigotry.
“There is a crisis in Britain’s schools for LGBT+ children and Labour must be the party which finds solutions to help these vulnerable children.”
Demonstrators object to the school’s use of particular relationship education materials, claiming the teaching is “over-emphasising a gay ethos.”
Godsiff first waded into the row last month saying he understood parents’ concern. In his latest comments, Godsiff said: If I had the opportunity of rolling the clock back I would do exactly the same thing again.
“Because I think you have a just cause and I regret the fact that it hasn’t been reciprocated by the headteacher.”
Fellow Labour MPs have expressed outrage at Godsiff’s comments backing anti-LGBT protests.
Wes Streeting, the Labour MP for Ilford North, tweeted: “This made me feel sick to my stomach. One of my own Labour colleagues stood with people who have peddled hatred and bigotry on school gates, intimidating pupils, teachers and parents.”
Labour councillor Brigid Jones, tweeted: “How dare you tell men whose homophobic protests were so threatening and disruptive that they had a court injunction issued against them that they are ‘right’.”
