Mikeuk

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23369896-details/Councillor+suspended+over+Noah's+ark+gay+animals+e mail/article.do

Councillor suspended over Noah's ark gay animals email
06.10.06


A Tory councillor who joked that a modern Noah would have to let gay animals on board his ark was today suspended from an equality panel.

David Clutterbuck's remarks were circulated by email to council members at Bournemouth Borough Council, in Dorset, earlier this week.

Political opponents failed to see the funny side and a Liberal Democrat councillor demanded staff undergo compulsory diversity training.

More here...

• Outrage over councillor's remarks about 'gay animals' on Noah's Ark

The row started when an email was forwarded on Monday with a joke that Noah would have to consult planning rules, building regulations, environmental impact studies, fire and safety regulations and the RSPCA over animal welfare if he was to build his ark in 2006.

Mr Clutterbuck added to the joke: "I imagine now it would be illegal to only have animals of the opposite sex!"

He pressed "reply to all" and his comments were circulated to council staff.

The leader of the Conservative Councillors in Bournemouth, Councillor Stephen MacLoughlin, said today that Mr Clutterbuck's comments about gay people were "unacceptable".

He has suspended Mr Clutterbuck from two committees - the Personnel Board, which deals with equality and diversity issues among council staff, and the Developing Communities and Tackling Crime Scrutiny and Review Panel, which deals with issues affecting local communities, including services to homosexuals.

Mr MacLoughlin said: "I have spoken to Cllr Clutterbuck. He has not denied that he made certain public comments. His statements have caused offence, particularly in Bournemouth's gay community.

"They are contrary to the council's equality and diversity policies and are not consistent with the motion on dignity and respect proposed by Bournemouth's Conservatives and approved by the council last month.

"His comments are unacceptable, especially from someone who deals with personnel and community issues.

"Therefore, I have decided to suspend him from those committees with immediate effect."

He said the Conservative Group would consider the matter at its next meeting, when Mr Clutterbuck would be asked to address members.

"I hope he thinks seriously about the offence he has caused, and that he will act appropriately," added Mr MacLoughlin.

But Mr Clutterbuck, 71, said today: "I don't know whether I'm daft but I still don't know what I have done to upset them so much."

He said he has sat on the Personnel Board for 16 years, was chair for four years and added: "I have never even remotely done anything against anyone who was homosexual."

He added: "It's absolute nonsense. I'm not apologising. I have not done anything wrong."

Mr Clutterbuck, who has been a councillor for 19 years, said he has had more than 100 emails supporting him, from cross-party councillors, MPs and homosexuals.

One email stated: "Well done Mr Clutterbuck. It's good to know there's at least one Conservative left in the new Conservative party. Please don't let them pressure you into apologising. Your country and sanity need you to stand your ground."

Mr Clutterbuck said he was resigning from the Conservative party from today and would sit on the council as an independent member.

"I will not take the Conservative whip and I will stand as an independent at the next by-election in May 2007," he said.

Bournemouth has the fifth-largest gay community in the country.

Tory Councillors passed a motion on September 12 to ensure Bournemouth Council's constitution makes specific reference to showing dignity and respect regardless of sexual orientation.

Mr Clutterbuck said: "I'm not homophobic at all and I never have been.

"I was brought up as a Christian and have Christian beliefs and I do think that certain things are wrong but these are my thoughts and I keep them to myself.

"Like a lot of people my age, until I was 18 it was an illegal offence and there are certain things that are inherent in us."

Zak64

Compulsory diversity training. Did the Dim Limps learn their language from Orwell or Lenin ? :evil:

And what if there was no such thing as a rhetorical question.

Britannist

"Compulsory diversity training" - this shows that the europhile Liberal Dims are just a left wing rabble. If electors understood what the Liberal Dims really stood for, people would not vote for them.