(no subject)

[kingandy]

Hughes reveals gay relationships

"I am perfectly willing to say I have had both homosexual and heterosexual relationships in the past," the Southwark and Bermondsey MP said.
[...]
Asked by the Independent whether he was gay, he replied: "No, I'm not. But it absolutely should not matter if I was."
[...]
Trevor Kavanagh, associate editor of The Sun, said Mr Hughes had decided to speak about his sexuality after being confronted with "pretty incontrovertible" evidence that he had phoned a gay chat line.

So, yeah, we can let him off denying being gay because maybe he considers himself bi. But come on. Chat lines? That's just sick.

Still, good picture on that article. They've managed to capture a real John Inman moment.

Comments

[samharber.livejournal.com]

The Liberal Democrat Party is not a right wing party, nor is it a left wing party. It is a party that is happy to swing both ways.

[mistressp.livejournal.com]

Surely it's about time that a candidate addressed the real issue here and just refused to confirm or deny their status.

The correct response here is "it's none of your damn business", and by clarifying one way or the other, he is giving the impression that the difference is important.

[kingandy]

I don't know, there's a case for the real issue being that people shouldn't be unable to say, or have to be at all secretive. The problem is that people's votes are affected by a whole range of non-political factors, including their personal lives. It's wrong that people can (have to?) parade "wife and kids" around in the confidence of drawing in the voters, while people with "same sex partner" have to (can?) keep their very existence out of the public eye.

Of course, something that can lose you votes can also gain you entirely different votes. I'd love to see Hughes as Prime Minister.

[mistressp.livejournal.com]

I watched the guy on Newsnight last night and was relatively impressed. I do agree with him that everyone deserves a private life and that people's votes should be guided towards political factors and away from the non-political.

I disagree with him that, in order to protect his private life he lied. Lying is bad and makes the non-political into the political. I still say he should have stuck to his guns and told the press it was none of their concern.

David Cameron may have taken cocaine at University. I respect his stance on the issue.

[r-dragonsbain.livejournal.com]

It could be worse, I could be standing for Leader fo the Lib Dems :0 Just imaging the questions I could ansew to the press ;)

Allthough if I did then for once it would indeed be My Fault :)

[kingandy]

*coughs*
*says nothing*

[phyrbyrd.livejournal.com]

He's got a right to visit chat rooms. It's not like they're illegal or anything, or even necessarily full of porn.
And I don't see that a politician's sexuality is anybody's business but his own, and if he decided it was best to show a straight front, as it were, I can see why. The numbers of people who would say 'we can't have a gay prime minister!' It would be almost as bad as the controversy surrounding gay bishops.

[kingandy]

No, no. Chat lines. Phone lines for the terminally lonely. Late night TV adverts that promise friendship and MAYBE MORE and try to turn their phone number into a jingle. Then charge you an extortionate amount of money for the privilege.

Also I was mostly being facetious.

[kingandy]

Also, in more general terms, while I can see it makes sound political sense to stay in the closet, it's still quite shameful and sets an awful example for all those people out there who are ashamed and afeared of what they are or might be. Just because it's good for your career doesn't make it right.