Former Metropolitan Police officer Brian Paddick have publicly condemned Ken Livingstone for his comments about gays and lesbians in the Conservative party.
As reported on PinkPaper.com, Livingstone – in an interview with current issue of The New Statesman – implies that gay and lesbian people in the Labour Party got jobs in government because of their sexuality rather than on merit.
In reaction, London Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick said: “When the Daily Mail columnist Melanie Philips said similar things about me being promoted when I was a police officer, I sued her and won.
“When he talks about homosexuality in the Conservative party as being "riddled with it like everywhere else" his remarks are clearly homophobic. He is a political opportunist who likes to be controversial in order to draw attention to himself, I think his true feelings towards LGBT people have seeped out."
Similarly, representatives for Boris Johnson have also responded to the furore.
A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority told PinkPaper.com: "The
Mayor is proud of the excellent gay men who have worked for him - not
least his deputy Richard Barnes and the late Simon Milton, who was one
of the first prominent men in public life to have a civil partnership."
