An MP of 27 years has been deselected by the Labour Party after he backed parents who complained that LGBT issues were being taught to their children without consultation.
Roger Godsiff, MP for Birmingham Hall Green, was formally reprimanded by Labour after he sympathised with parents protesting outside Anderton Park primary school in Birmingham.
The parents said the content of the teaching was inappropriate and was promoting LGBT lifestyles, adding that there had been no communication between the school and parents before it was implemented.
Age-appropriate
Local Labour members had been set to vote on whether Godsiff could stand for re-election, but when the General Election was called, Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) opted to de-select him.
Godsiff says he believes children should be taught about LGBT relationships, but also says parents should have a say in the way that these issues are taught.
But he was berated by some for his views, with Guardian columnist Owen Jones saying he should be removed from his post as an MP because his view is “an absolute shocker”.
Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner tweeted that his views did “not represent the Labour Party” and were “discriminatory & irresponsible”.
‘Character assassination’
In an open letter, Godsiff said he had been forced out of his position by a small group within the LGBT community “who were totally opposed to the concept of ‘age appropriateness’”.
He said he had been the victim of “a vicious and vindictive campaign of character assassination”, and added that if his views “are at variance with the intolerant opinions of a militant minority … then so be it.”
