Keighley MP 'appalled' by Griffin comments |

Friday 19th October 2012 | 14:54

Keighley MP 'appalled' by Griffin comments

Kris Hopkins press release

BNP leader Nick Griffin's decision to post the address of a gay couple on Twitter and encourage his supporters to demonstrate outside their home after they won a civil case against a guest house owner who refused to let them stay in a double room have been described as "appalling" by Keighley and Ilkley MP Kris Hopkins.

Speaking from his Keighley constituency office, Mr Hopkins said:

"Griffin's attack is completely consistent with his many previous rabble-rousing, bigoted attacks on a wide array of individuals and groups.

"The people of Keighley certainly need no introduction to his gutter practices, after they sent him packing at the 2005 General Election.

"Whilst he was here, he sought to undo many years of work by a lot of very good people to improve community and race relations in our town.

"Keighley does face huge challenges around integration and cohesion, but these can only be met by bringing people together, not driving them apart by preaching hatred as Griffin attempted to do.

"He has now re-directed his appalling thoughts, words and deeds in the direction of gay couples.

"The country is currently in the middle of a passionate and involved debate about the merits of gay marriage and whether Parliament should legislate to make this legal.

"I have made clear many times that I believe this would be a positive move and I intend to vote in favour of the change when it comes before the House of Commons.

"Equally, there are a significant number of my constituents who have a different view and have respectfully made their views known in correspondence with me, as is their absolute right.

"These are conversations that we should be having in a democratic society.

"However, I heard Griffin say on the radio that discrimination was 'a fundamental human right.'

"He could not be more wrong about that and I believe the reaction his comments have since provoked prove that the overwhelming number of people in this country know that he is wrong.

"I understand the police are investigating his Twitter comments and I hope he will now be the subject of criminal charges.

"I am 100% in favour of free speech, but I am 100% opposed to the hate-filled rants of Nick Griffin and his dwindling band of followers in the BNP."