FEATURE RIGHT TURNs AHEAD Some UKIP members have voiced decidedly homophobic comments, and the party is resolutely against gay marriage. So why has it launched an LGBTQ division within its ranks? Gary Ryan talks to some of those involved…

According to prime minister David them) that might seem unpalatable, it’s also Cameron – albeit in a radio interview he UKIP’s policies. Although the party ‘wholly gave back in 2006 – the UK Independence respect the rights of gay people to have civil Party (UKIP) is full of “fruitcakes, loonies partnerships’, it is nonetheless against gay and closet racists”. It’s not a political party marriage, chiefly because it is an ‘affront’ to you would expect to be teeming with gays. religious values. And yet, unbelievably, UKIP – the Polls show that it’s a move that has acted self-styled ‘libertarian, non-racist party as a dog-whistle to old-guard Tories seeking Britain’s withdrawal from the disenfranchised by David Cameron’s European Union’ – has operated an LGBTQ modernisation project – with a recent wing since September last year. Under the Telegraph newspaper survey showing that slogan ‘Britain should be out and proud!’, the 51% of ‘switchers’ are motivated by UKIP’s group aims to provide a ‘safe and social stance. Given that Nigel Farage, the savvy discussion space’ for gay members and to UKIP leader, has vowed to “exploit” these ‘highlight issues’ facing the community. On Tory fault lines, does it not look as though Twitter, it boasts over 300 followers. Its the party is tactically benefiting from tapping Facebook page, ‘Liked’ by 166 people, into a well of homophobia? contains an impassioned article from its “One thing I always say to people when deputy chair and co-founder, Nathan they bring up that point is that opposing gay Garbutt, calling for the overturn of the ban “It’s a difficult one because marriage does not make you homophobic,” on gay men donating blood within 12 months argues Garbutt. “If we were this homophobic of engaging in sexual activity. One picture I personally support gay party, then we’d be seeking to abolish civil lightheartedly shows a 19-year-old marriage, but not at the partnerships, like the BNP is proposing. It’s a campaigner naked, save for a ‘Vote UKIP’ cost of other people’s civil difficult one, because I personally do support placard strategically covering his modesty. gay marriage, but not at the cost of other Garbutt informs Out In The City that the liberties” people’s civil liberties.” LGBTQ division represents a “long overdue” Nathan Garbutt, deputy chair of Like Garbutt, Booker is in favour of gay attempt to give a voice to the apparently marriage and insists that party leaders have swelling ranks of gay members within the UKIP’s LGBTQ group not tried to censor his enthusiasm for it, even party. “And, hopefully,” he adds, “to help try if it is contrary to the official UKIP line. “I and get away from this image of us being a am pro, and I’ve written extensively about bunch of nutcases and homophobes.” prefer sex with animals. Her comments this again and again, including on the UKIP Prior to defecting to UKIP in 2007, provoked outrage, and she subsequently LGBTQ Facebook, and the party has been Garbutt had been a Conservative council stepped down – according to a UKIP happy for me to do so because I’ve expressed candidate in Wakefield, but he resigned when spokesperson – “to avoid doing herself or the that it is my opinion,” he says. local activists allegedly tried to stop him party any more damage”. To top off the posing for a gay lifestyle magazine. charm offensive, UKIP’s cultural spokesman, Others, it seems, have not been as “They were very unpleasant,” he claims. Winston McKenzie, speculated last year that fortunate. In January, Olly Neville, “They threatened that I wouldn’t go very far adoption by same-sex couples could be chairman of UKIP’s youth organisation with them if I didn’t keep quiet about my considered “child abuse”. (Young Independence), was stripped of his sexuality and that people wouldn’t vote for “The disgusting remarks of Julia Gasper post by the party leadership. He claims it me if I was open about it. It’s the complete were a catalyst,” Booker explains. “I thought, was because he expressed his support for opposite of my experience in UKIP, who have ‘Good gracious, now more than ever do we gay marriage on national radio, comments been nothing but welcoming of my sexuality.” need to kick these people out.’ As a that reportedly risked “setting back the Thomas Booker, the chair of UKIP’s libertarian, I feel they are entitled to their party’s current growth”. UKIP countered LGBTQ group, says its formation was partly a views, but it does depress me. It’s not only that Mr Neville was removed for reaction against a catalogue of rabidly damaging to the party’s name, it’s damaging “misrepresenting UKIP policy” and not homophobic salvos from the party’s to people like me – because we then feel for his views on gay marriage. personnel and supporters. UKIP MEP we’re in some sort of threat. But having this Further departures followed in his [Member of the European Parliament] Roger group means that people who would slipstream. Arnie Craven, chair of Young Helmer once suggested gay marriage could normally keep their mouths shut have an Independence Yorkshire, quit in a show of lead to incest and polygamy. Dr Julia Gasper avenue to voice their disgust.” solidarity for Neville, with the parting shot: – who stood for the party in Oxford East in “I want a state that gets off people’s backs, 2010 – branded gay rights a “lunatic’s However, for gay voters it’s not just not one that tells them who they can and charter” and mused that some homosexuals these “isolated views” (as Booker dismisses can’t marry”. Richard Lowe, UKIP’s

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UKIP’s Nigel Farage

for ukip... x THOMAS BOOKER Chair of UKIP LGBTQ

“We’re the only party that believes transferable

PHOTO © ukip pi marriage tax allowances should be made available to people in civil partnerships and that prospective parliamentary candidate in that UKIP has yet to win a seat in the House they should be made equal to those in a Chester, says he was forced to resign after of Commons would tempt many to write it off traditional marriage. We’re putting a policy to local party leaders pledged they would not as a marginal concern. the National Executive regarding the ban on gay campaign for “anyone who publicly supports However, recent polls show that UKIP is men giving blood if they’ve had sex within the same-sex marriage”. solidifying its position as the UK’s third last six months – we feel it should be the case Internecine party bloodletting aside, a party, ahead of the Liberal Democrats. It is that anybody who has had sex in the last year further concern is the company UKIP also, arguably, being allowed to set the should be screened. We want to get rid of that chooses to keep within the European political agenda on issues such as discrimination. We’re looking into the abolition parliament. With 11 of the UK’s 73 MEPs, immigration. Crucially, Farage has been of homophobia in schools and how to use it is the largest member of the Europe of spotted dining with Rupert Murdoch, which education to eliminate that, partly through Freedom and Democracy group, an alliance might mean that The Sun could shine on him consulting with other countries to see how that includes members of Italy’s Northern come the next general election. they’ve achieved it.” League, which has previously stated that ‘Homosexuals have to go to the psychologist UKIP originated as a single-issue to feel better’, and the far-right United party; its raison d’être was pulling out of Poland Party, which is adamant that ‘there is Europe. Lately, its key electoral ground- no place for homosexuals within our party’. gaining has been on immigration. According Unfazed, Booker regards it as a “coalition to its 2010 manifesto, the party wants to of convenience” – a means to a political end. freeze ‘permanent immigration’ for five “When the party is in the EU, it has to sit years, introduce a minimum five-year wait with those who share a common goal in for British citizenship and ‘end the active terms of leaving the European Union,” he promotion of the doctrine of says. “Yes, it’s not ideal what some of these multiculturalism’. Quite how it might do this parties are saying, but that does not mean we has not been made clear. With its growing agree with them.” popularity at the polls, it has been prompted Three years ago, the now-independent to clarify other areas of policy, such as gay MEP Nikki Sinclaire was expelled from protecting the greenbelt by opposing wind ... and AGAINST UKIP for refusing to sit with Northern farms and the HS2 train project, lowering tax PETER TATCHELL League colleagues. She may not have been and creating more grammar schools. Human rights campaigner asked to agree with them, but she was Over the summer, UKIP LGBTQ plans to certainly expected to tolerate them. attend Gay Prides to spread the message. “UKIP opposes the right of gay couples to marry. “You would not expect a black MEP to “What we want is for people to come down It supports a legal ban on same-sex marriage. It sit next to a Ku Klux Klan member, so why and meet us,” says Booker. “Once they do, supports the anti-gay Coalition for Marriage and would you expect me to sit next to someone they’ll see we’re a lot different to how the promotes their petition, which seeks to deny who wanted me dead?”she told the Daily newspapers have unfairly portrayed us.” gay people equality. Even worse, UKIP is Mail. She subsequently won a sex The veteran human rights campaigner, cynically manipulating its rejection of marriage discrimination case against her former party. Peter Tatchell, is in no doubt that “UKIP is equality as a way of securing the support of The party disputed the claim, but made no the new nasty party”, but should we be disaffected, homophobic Conservatives. In its defence when she lodged her discrimination worried? In order to make itself electable, key policy document, What We Stand For, UKIP suit (they blame an administrative error), and there’s no question that UKIP would have to has no policies for LGBT rights. It wants to scrap a default judgment was made in her favour. smooth out its more jagged edges. And so the Human Rights Act, which protects LGBT She went on to tell The Observer that far, as pugnacious upstarts, the party’s people against discrimination and the abuse of UKIP was still, “without a doubt, polices and affiliations have escaped any state power. In the European Parliament, UKIP is homophobic”. real media scrutiny. part of the Europe of Freedom & Democracy As a final thought, we return to the image political alliance, which includes extreme Why does any of this matter? Didn’t it of that naked activist holding the banner. right-wing homophobic and racist parties. UKIP once have the reputation of being the Take away the slogans, and could UKIP be is the new nasty party.” Monster Raving Eurosceptic Party? The fact exposed as having nothing underneath?

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