Tory housing czar Sir Roger Scruton said homosexuality knocks ‘ten years off your life expectancy’
Ministers are urging the housing czar to be removed from his position
By Steve Brown
Conservatives’ house czar Sir Roger Scruton faces new calls to resign after further ‘offensive’ comments about race and homosexuality were uncovered.
The architectural expert – who was appointed earlier this month to oversee the commission to improve design quality in the UK – has faced backlash after making remarks that being gay was “not normal” and date rape was not a crime, the Evening Standard report.
Now, articles featured in an American conservative journal published back in 2001 have been uncovered and Scruton is quoted saying that homosexuality knocks “ten years off your life expectancy” and he compared the public health panic about smoking with the “pussyfooting over Aids”.
He said: “The fact that the promiscuous habits of many male homosexuals have greatly advanced this disease has done nothing to make nanny warn against homosexuality or against exposing young people, even children, to its allure.”
Scruton also claimed that people live “longer, happier and healthier lives” if they are in a “stable marriage if they support of a religion, and if they adhere to the traditional sexual code.”
Now, Theresa May faces further calls to remove Scruton and Andrew Gwynne, Labour’s shadow communities security, said housing minister James Brokenshire must overturn his appointment of the commission.
He said: “That Tory ministers continue to defend his appointment… is offensive to the very communities they claim to represent.”
LGBT and human rights campaign Peter Tatchell said: “If he still has the same odious opinions and is not willing to say sorry, I do not see how he can hold an official position given by a government that it committed to equality and inclusion.”