UK: Anti-gay Tory
candidate to sue party
10 January 2011, 10:38am
Philip Lardner says he will sue the Tory party
A homophobic teacher is to sue the Conservative Party after
he was sacked as a general election candidate.
Philip Lardner, who was selected to fight the North
Ayrshire and Arran seat, was suspended from his job and dumped by the party
after PinkNews.co.uk
revealed he said that homosexuality is wrong and children should not be
taught about it in schools.
Last April, Mr Lardner, 43, wrote on his website that
“most” people agree that homosexuality is wrong, that it is not normal and that
children should not be “encouraged” to “indulge” in it.
He also gave his support to Section 28, the repealed law
which banned promotion of homosexuality in schools.
After the Tories dumped him, Mr Lardner unsuccessfully
contested the seat as an independent candidate.
He now intends to sue the party for defamation.
According to the Sun, he told a magazine: “David Cameron’s
people looked at the Labour majority and thought, ‘He’s got no chance. Let’s
ditch this guy; it will help us get the pink vote’.
“I’m hoping to sue the Conservative Party for defamation
and breach of contract.”
Mr Lardner was also suspended from his job at Rashielea
Primary School in Renfrewshire for the remarks but a disciplinary hearing in
August decided that he should
keep his job after receiving a written warning.