The Conservative Party’s Westminster candidate for South Down, Felicity Buchan, has welcomed Jim Wells’ decision to resign as Stormont health minister, but she also challenged election hopefuls from UKIP and the UUP to spell out openly their views on same sex relationships. Mr Wells, who is the DUP’s South Down parliamentary candidate, stepped down after making remarks implying that there is a link between homosexuality and child abuse in the home, at a pre-election hustings.
“Mr Wells’ position was becoming increasingly untenable and he has made the correct decision”, Felicity commented. “He cited pressures around family life, and we all wish him well in that regard, but it would be wrong to underplay the seriousness of his remarks, which were particularly inappropriate given Mr Wells’ position as health minister, charged with looking after the NHS for everyone in Northern Ireland. However, it is still concerning that public representatives and those who aspire to public office, whether they have portfolios in the Executive or not, feel free to make prejudiced remarks in public about gay people.”
“Jim Wells was not alone in making inappropriate comments during the debate last week. Harold McKee from the UUP made a childish remark implying that none of us would be around, were same sex marriage allowed 100 years ago. Henry Reilly from UKIP embarked on a cryptic digression about the relative merits of a child marrying into the Catholic Church or the Church of Ireland. Both candidates should state clearly their position on Jim Wells’ comments. No-one should be subject to derogatory or snide remarks because of their sexuality or religion, particularly from people in the public eye and voters deserve to know clearly where these men stand on the issues which caused Mr Wells’ resignation.”