Former TalkSport radio presenter Mike Mendoza will stand for The United Kingdom Independence Party in the forthcoming by-election in Goldsmid, Hove. In 2007 Mike Mendoza was the dj during the night shift at TalkSport radio and was suspended by Talk Radio for a week when he linked homosexuals with paedophilia live on air.[1] His comments were: "Paedophiles in general are the type of people that surely would not follow football... not many gay people to the best of my knowledge are great football fans"
Phelim Mac Cafferty, LGBTGreens National Spokesperson commented:
"So the true colours of UKIP have been unveiled and UKIP can expect extra opposition to this sort of homophobia. How dare they assume that someone who insults the LGBT population of this city deserves to sit as an elected representative?
"This dangerous and lazy comparison has no truer basis than linking heterosexuality exclusively to paedophilia but is the sort of gutter rationale I'd expect from a party bereft of progressive policies.
"This by-election has been called because the sitting councillor has turned up to so few meetings he can't be doing an effective job for the citizens he represents and is an embarrassment to the Conservative Party. Let us not forget either that Mike Mendoza is a former member of the Conservative party, having sat as an elected councillor on Brighton and Hove and Adur District councils. Like disgraced former Tory councillor Peter Willows, who conflated homosexuality with paedophilia, Mendoza 's opinions belong in the gutter, not in the Council chamber of our city.
Phelim concluded: "LGBT Greens are outraged that Mendoza has caused a hate crime against all LGBT people but has the gall to ask the LGBT people of this city for their vote. We think that it really should not be an issue to ask for candidates who stand up to bigotry. Alex Phillips, the Green Party candidate, is such a person and she stands in the proud tradition of combating homophobia and fighting for the fair representation of the LGBT community. Vote Alex Phillips on 23rd July!"
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