centreleft // a new voice from the British left

Despite having spent much of the last three weeks convalescing CentreLeft isn’t going to let certain things slide particularly the ridiculous claims by Margot James last week.  Below a response:

Margot James, by her own admission the only Conservative lesbian candidate for the next election, has announced that all gay people have a duty to vote conservative…..

Why?

Not so much because the party has reformed its bigoted membership, but, she argues – for the glorious benefit of tax cuts.

According to the enlightened Margot, gay people would like to see their taxes reduced because many gay couples do not have children and therefore get less return for their tax input over the years….

I find her remarks completely intolerable.

1. Gay people do not have a common duty to vote for one party or the other

Gay people, like not gay people, like black people, like white people, like people who like missionary sex and those that prefer something a bit more adventurous, they have a right to vote, a duty to vote perhaps, but a duty to vote for one party, let alone the conservative party, this is plain is ludicrous.

Just because you are gay does mean that you have the same opinion as any other gay person.

2. Gay people want tax cuts because many gay couples don’t have children????

Do they? Do they really?

Do gay people not use the health service, or benefit in their businesses from an educated staff, or want to see their parents receive the best treatments for cancer or heart disease, or do they not appreciate the minimum wage, or use better public transport systems…..

Also, do we have to assume that gay people have no interest in seeing children educated. Not only do gay people have nieces and nephews and god sons and god daughters, but gay people can have children, no thanks to the conservative party. Thanks to Labour gay couples can adopt children, they can have their relationship legally recognised and build a family of their own.

In my humble opinion, Margot James should really pipe down. Gay people, whoever you are, wherever you are – vote for who you want. Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you have to agree with Margot, the Conservative party or even me…