Greens welcome homophobe Paisley Junior resignation

NEWS FROM THE GREEN PARTY of England and Wales LGBT GROUP

http://www.lgbtgreens.org.uk/

Greens welcome homophobe Paisley Junior resignation: Northern Ireland assembly- now sack this homophobe!
Review of Northern Ireland’s hate crime standards and policy needed now

18.2.8

In the aftermath of the Resignation of Ian Paisley Jnr from the Stormont Government, Greens want all Members of Northern Ireland’s Assembly to be put under pressure to comply to fair and equal treatment for LGBT people.

Paisley Jnr is the son of the infamous DUP Leader, Ian Paisley, who as the leader of the Free Presbyterian Church attempted to stop the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Northern Ireland and coined the bigotry, ‘Save Ulster from Sodomy’.

In welcoming the announcement earlier today, Phelim Mac Cafferty, media spokesperson for LGBT Greens stated: “I welcome Mr Paisley Jnr's resignation from the Government and I want to call for his sacking from the Assembly. After an outrageous outburst last summer where Mr Paisley stated that he was ‘repulsed’ by gay men and lesbians Mr Paisley should have been sacked- what way is this for someone who is supposed to represent all people to act? The reality is Paisley Jnr wasn’t sacked and appeared on Radio 4 later last year to defend his views.

Phelim continued:
“To add insult to injury Paisley Jnr was appointed to the department which oversaw equalities issues- just what message does this send to the homophobes in Northern Ireland?”

“Paisley Jnr will continue to represent North Antrim in the Assembly which given the appalling and documented high rate of suicide among Northern Ireland’s young LGBT population- including the shocking suicide in July 07 of Mr Gay Derry 2003, Eamon Johnston- sends all the wrong signals to people committing or about to perpetrate hate crimes against LGBT people. Paisley Jnr should be sacked for his continuous hate crimes against Northern Ireland’s LGBT population.

“Like his father before him, Paisley Jnr represents every attempt in Northern Ireland to drag it back to the days where if you were LGB or T you had to leave- isn’t it about time we asked Paisley Jnr to leave instead?”