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Make me the Hundred and First
I am sure I was not the only one to see this report by Simon de Bruxelles in the Times Oct 7 2006. My acknowledgement to the publisher for presuming to reissue it.
'Gay animals' councillor quits
By Simon de Bruxelles
A CONSERVATIVE councillor has paid
the price for joking that a modern
Noah would be forced to find room for
gay animals on his Ark. David
Clutterbuck, who made the comment in
an e-mail, was suspended from two key
committees, then resigned from the
Tory party, saying that he would stand
in future as an independent.
Mr Clutterbuck, 72, was told that
his comment was unacceptable and had
offended Bournemouth's large gay
community. The joke was made in
response to a tongue-in-cheek e-mail
about all the bureaucratic problems
that Noah
would encounter if he were building
the Ark in 2006.The e-mail said that
he would have to ‘obtain planning
permission, abide by building
regulations, carry out an
environmental impact study, install a
fire sprinkler system
and seek advice from the
RSPCA’ .
In his reply Mr Clutterbuck
said: "I imagine now it would
be illegal to only have animals of the
opposite sex!"
His comment was then sent to all the
members of the
Liberal Democrat-run Bournemouth
Borough Council, which had been on the
e-mail's original mailing list. They
demanded that Mr Clutterbuck apologise
and that he undertake compulsory
equality training. However, it was Mr
Clutterbuck's own Conservative group
that took action against him
yesterday.
Stephen MacLoughlin, the leader of
the council's Tory
group, said: "In the light of
derogatory comments made by
Councillor Clutterbuck regarding gay
people, we have taken immediate
action. His statements have caused
offence, particularly in Bournemouth's
gay community. They are contrary to
the council's equality and diversity
policies.
"His comments are unacceptable,
especially from someone who deals with
personnel and community issues. I hope
he thinks seriously about the offence
he has caused, and that he will act
appropriately."
Mr MacLoughlin said that Mr
Clutterbuck had been sus-
pended from two committees on which he
sits. But Mr Clutterbuck said
yesterday that he decided to resign
after being told he was being
suspended.
Mr Clutterbuck, who has been a
councillor for 19 years,
said: "I stand by my comments and I
haven't done anything
wrong. I am not homophobic and sent
the e-mail as a joke."
He claimed to have received more than
100 messages of support, many from gay
people. From John B. Pope
If the detail of this report is
correct. The reaction of the
Conservative Group on the Bournemouth
Council well illustrates why so many
Conservative Voters have left the
Party. So far as I read it David
Clutterbuck’s alleged remarks were
both witty and amusing. I for one
applaud such a humorous contribution
to the Public Debate.
Bournemouth Conservative Voters were
lucky to have a man of Mr. Clutterbuck
character representing their interest.
Such is the trouble with the
Conservative Party. They do not want
Councillors at any level who exhibit
qualities of originality or
leadership. Why will the Party not
realise that the recurring crises at
the top of the Party, stem from the
inadequacies in the management of
local branches. Councillor Clutterbuck
would still have my vote
Were I living in his ward, for I have
voted Independent in Council Elections
for the last quarter of a century.
I have a further quote . Harold
Macmillan’s Diaries 1954.
‘ The Whips want safe men, as they
always have done in every Party. But
they don’t make the future leaders of
a Party. I reminded Winston again that
it took Hitler to make him PM, and me
an under-secretary. The Tory Party
would do neither.’
The Gay Community are entitled to
their views, so too the
Liberal Party. This incident makes one
wonder what the Conservative Party
stands for, and whether its leadership
is fit for purpose. If this nonsense
is anything to go by, seemingly the
Bournemouth Branch favours three in a
bed.
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