Tories Must Make Clear if They Are Joining Anti-Gay Parties in Europe – Lib Dems

LONDON, March 17, 2009  –  Liberal Democrats are pressing the Conservatives to clarify if they are intending to form an alliance with the anti-gay Polish Law and Justice (PiS) party in the European Parliament.

The UK Conservatives have already said that they would be pulling-out of the EPP group following the European Parliament election in June.

Lynne Featherstone, the Lib Dem spokesperson for Youth and Equality, has written to William Hague on the matter.

“I am particularly concerned by reports that you may join with the Polish Law and Justice party,” she wrote. “Members of this party have not only expressed vile and damaging opinions about homosexuality, they have also acted on these in Government.

In addition to homophobia, senior politicians from the Law and Justice party  recently described Barack Obama’s election as United States President as marking “the end of white man’s civilisation”.

“By joining with these people the Tories would be to lending credence to their abhorrent views,” Ms. Featherstone said in a statement today.

“Homophobia and racism have no place in mainstream politics.

“The Conservatives must make clear whether they intend to join forces with the Law and Justice Party,” she insisted.

The full text of Lynne Featherstone’s letter:

Dear Mr Hague,

Following the Conservative Party’s decision to withdraw from the EPP in the European Parliament there has been much speculation about who you will choose to ally yourselves with following the elections in June. I am particularly concerned by reports that you may join with the Polish Law and Justice party. Members of this party have not only expressed vile and damaging opinions about homosexuality, they have also acted on these in Government.

Its chairman, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, has called for homosexuals to be barred from teaching and recently told the Polish publication Ozon, “The affirmation of homosexuality will lead to the downfall of civilisation. We can’t agree to it.”

What is more, his twin brother Lech, the current President, banned gay pride parades during his time as Mayor of Warsaw, whilst allowing a ‘Parade of Normality’ to take place instead. Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, the former Prime Minister told the Polish edition of Newsweek that homosexuality is unnatural and threatened lesbians and gay men with ‘state intervention’ if they tried to “infect others with their homosexuality.”

One of the party’s senior MPs is also reported to have described the election of Barack Obama as marking the “end of white man’s civilisation”.

Are these really the sort of people you intend to ally yourself with? These appalling statements and actions have no part in mainstream political discourse and to join with these people in the European Parliament would be to lend credence to their abhorrent views. I would be grateful if you could confirm whether you intend to form a partnership with the Law and Justice party.

Yours sincerely,

Lynne Featherstone MP