The Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland has confirmed that it has received a request for prosecutorial advice from police investigating whether a local MP’s homophobic statements broke the law.
Iris Robinson made headlines all over the UK last June when she said “I cannot think of anything more sickening than a child being abused. It is comparable to the act of homosexuality. I think they are all comparable. I feel totally repulsed by both.”
Stonewall voted Iris “Bigot of the year” in their November awards.
Last month a spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland told PinkNews.co.uk that “inquiries are continuing” into whether Iris Robinson’s comments broke the law.
Today the PSNI confirmed that they have sought advice from the Public Prosecution Service, a normal procedure in complex cases.
The decision to consult the PPS does not necessarily mean there will be action taken against Mrs Robinson.
The Gown, the independent student newspaper at QUB, features an article on Iris Robinson this September. The article takes pride of place on the front page, continuing on page four, with quotes from this year’s president, Sarah Boles.
This year’s Belfast Pride festival passed peacefully, considering it came amidst such an inhospitable climate of tolerance. Speaking on the matter, President of Queen’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender group, Sarah Boles noted, “Pride this year was a wonderful, united event which bought the LGBT community and members of the public together to celebrate the colourful diversity of our city.”
And notably includes positive promises from this year’s Equality and Diversity Officer, Shane Brogan, that the student’s union will not tolerate Homophobia.
Brogan told The Gown that his department and indeed the entire Executive “will be working with groups such as the LGBT Society at Queen’s and NUS-USI to ensure that she [Iris Robinson] will be held to account”.
There is no constitutional role for the Prime Minister to reprimand individual Members of Parliament who are accountable to their electorate for their own comments.
The short response from Gordon Brown’s office dwindles through politically correct jargon, stating that his government’s “vision is an equal, inclusive society in Northern Ireland” but does so with a nonchalant sincerity bursting with empty statements we’ve heard before. The petition, which had 15,703 signatures, was submitted by Mr Stephen Curran and answered by the Prime Minster’s office on the 13th of August.
In addition, section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires designated public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between 9 different groups: religious belief; political opinion; race or ethnic group; age; marital status; sexual orientation; gender; disability; and persons with dependants.
It seems our ‘designated public authority’, Mrs Iris Robinson, is promoting hatred and not the equality that our government and laws demand.
In the annual Amnesty International Pride Lecture on Monday night, gay rights campaigned Peter Tatchell warned of the consequences of certain Unionist politcians views about gay people.
He said
“There is no doubt that if Iris Robinson had made those remarks about the black or the Jewish community she would have been ousted from public office and forced to resign,” Mr Tatchell told journalists ahead of yesterday’s lecture.
People would have said that such comments are totally unacceptable.
Saying that her conscience or religion gives her an excuse for making these remarks I find unconscionable.”
He added
“Some of the people who hold these views are not merely prejudiced, they act out that by abusing people, by harrying gay people in the street and sometimes in violence,”
That is something that Ian Paisley and Iris Robinson should remember.
It is very disturbing, the fact that senior Northern Irish politicians seem to think that the gay community is fair game.”
This Thursday, July 31st, there will be a demonstration against the MP and MLA Iris Robinson’s homophobic comments at 1pm outside Belfast City Hall.
SDLP Youth Chair Peter Armstrong said: “It is clear that Iris Robinson believes it is acceptable for her to preach outrageous messages of hate and discrimination based on her interpretation of ancient biblical texts. However, the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland do not agree with her comments.
“We believe that Iris Robinson does not have any public support. She has shown the extent of her homophobia on television and radio interviews, at Stormont as an MLA and in committees that she sits on as an MP at Westminster. We believe it is intolerable that she can remain as the Chair of the Assembly’s Health Committee after the comments she has made.
“Iris Robinson has failed to apologise for her hateful comments. She has offended many decent right-minded people. There has also been complete silence from other DUP representatives, which would make us think that First Minister Peter Robinson and his DUP party colleagues all share the same viewpoint.
“As a party born from the civil rights movement the SDLP has long been a champion of society’s most vulnerable and those open to discrimination. The SDLP represents people from all faiths and none. As public representatives we have a duty to legislate in the best interests of all the people.
“We believe faith and government are not mutually exclusive. However, all public policy and legislation must stand up to the rigours of basic and guaranteed human rights.
“As a party we have consistently campaigned for a comprehensive and progressive Bill of Rights setting out the principles that should underpin the new society we are trying to build and help ensure events of the past and division of the present is overcome for good of everyone on this island regardless of race, class or creed.
“If you are against the comments made by Iris Robinson, please join us on Thursday 31st July at 1pm outside Belfast City Hall where we will hold a demonstration. Everyone is invited, including family and friends of gay and lesbian people.”
Belfast Pride has been given permission from the Parades Commission to go ahead with no restrictions this year. There had been some calls for the Pride parade to be cancelled, especially from the Christian community, and particularly after the ‘Jesus is a Fag’ sign that appeared last year.
In a statement, Prides Commisioner Roger Poole said:
“We respect the views of those who are organising the Pride parade and those who wish to express their opposition.
Just as with any parade in Belfast where there is disagreement it is important that all concerned treat each other with respect and show tolerance towards the views of wider society.
The Commission is aware from its meetings that both sides have reaffirmed their intention to abide by an agreement reached in 2005.
We are pleased to have this renewed commitment, particularly in light of the events of 2007 when a particular placard was on display which caused considerable offense.
It is very clear to us that the Belfast Pride parade is a welcome addition to the city and it is a colourful and positive celebration of all lifestyles which co-exist in Belfast.
We urge those taking part in the parade, those supporting the parade and those who are opposed to the parade to act in a way which respects the views and sensitivities of all concerned.”
Iris Robinson Invited
ControversialMPIrisRobinson has also been invited to take part in the Pride event, Pride Talks Back. All the major political parties have taken part in this over the years, with the exception of the DUP.
Andy Thompson, chairman of Belfast Pride said
“I think Iris Robinson should really be making an effort to attend.
If she is genuine about being misrepresented in her remarks then this is a perfect opportunity for her to clarify that.
This is the perfect opportunity for her to hear about the hurt and harm she is causing people.”
Coming to Pride?
If you are, and want more details on what Queen’s LGBT Society are planning, click here.
Northern Ireland’s most famous female politician has said that she does not think all gay people need psychiatric treatment.
Iris Robinson was speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where she is chair of the health committee.
A member of the Alliance party, Stephen Farry, had asked the province’s health minister “for his assessment of the mental-health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups.”
The Minister, Michael McGimpsey, said that “anyone who has a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender sexual orientation often has specific and heightened mental-health needs arising from rejection or hostility from his or her family, the workplace and the wider community.
“I expect any treatment or support by health and social care staff to be offered in a way that is sensitive to the issues arising from a patient’s sexual orientation, and to be delivered in a way that leads to the best outcome.”
The minister was asked to confirm that “sexuality is biological and that it is not accepted practice in either psychiatry or psychotherapy to try to cure homosexuality.”
Then followed this exchange:
“Over the past few weeks, some people have attempted to suggest that I indicated that homosexuality is a mental-health issue, and they have twisted everything that was said on Stephen Nolan’s radio show,” she said.
“I have got broad shoulders, and can take the brickbats that followed from that. However, nothing could be further from the truth. What I did say was that homosexuality —
Some Members: Ask a question.
Mrs I Robinson: I am getting to it. Homosexuality, like all sin, is an abomination. That is what I said. My point, however, is that there are some people —
Some Members: Ask a question.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Will the Member ask the question?
Mrs I Robinson: I am getting to the question.
Dr Farry: You are reading a statement.
Mrs I Robinson: No, I am not.
Dr Farry: Yes, you are.
Mrs I Robinson: Who is the Speaker here?
Mr Deputy Speaker: Will the Member come to the question?
Mrs I Robinson: I certainly will. Does the Minister agree that there are some people who, in their teenage years, are sexually confused, and that they could do with help from practitioners to assist them with talking therapies, to help them to realise exactly what they are — whether they are heterosexual or homosexual?
The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety: I am not in a position to talk about sexual confusion. What I am in a position to do is to reflect what the American Psychiatric Association concluded.”
In her first TV interview since the the furore began, Iris Robinson still won’t back down over her comments, saying that she advised gays to seek therapy to “turn (them) around” from homosexuality.
The BBC reports:
“I certainly will not rest until she stands down for what she’s done, because she’s made my life hell since her comments,’ he said. He said he had struggled with coming to terms with being homosexual, something made more difficult by his background. ‘I took an overdose last November because I was finding it hard to cope with being gay – I had no support from anyone and felt on my own,’ he said. ‘I had always denied it but now I’m out and I’m not ashamed to say I’m gay.”
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