Wirral councillor suspended after anti-gay remark on Facebook

Mar 31 2010 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

A CONSERVATIVE councillor who defected from Labour has been suspended from the party after making alleged homophobic comments on the social networking site, Facebook.

Cllr Denis Knowles had described a group of people handing out Labour leaflets in his ward in Seacombe, Wirral, as “limp wristed”.

The comments were posted on March 28 and Cllr Knowles took them down within the hour.

However, a screenshot of his page was taken before he amended it, showing the comment: “. . . an unusual group of boys leafleting in Seacombe this weekend, of the limp wristed variety and definitely NOT local”.

Wallasey MP Angela Eagle yesterday wrote to Tory party leader David Cameron demanding action be taken against the councillor.

She said: “This statement by Cllr Knowles is nasty, deeply offensive and displays a revealing level of bigotry. The Tories claim to have changed but this comment, coming just days after David Cameron fell apart during a TV interview on equality, shows they haven’t changed at all.

“I was speechless when this was first brought to my attention because I am proud that my re-election campaign is being supported by a cross- section of the local community – men and women, young and old, gay and straight.

“I want to know what the local Conservative Party and the national leadership are going to do about it.”