Pride

SNP MP reports Lord Maginnis to police for homophobia as Jacob Rees-Mogg condemns his ‘attack’

Lord Maginnis Hannah Bardell

Hannah Bardell told the House of Commons that she would report Lord Maginnis to the police. (YouTube)

SNP MP Hannah Bardell said she has reported Lord Ken Maginnis to the police for a homophobic hate crime, after he said she only accused him of “abusive” behaviour because she is a “queer” who wants “cheap publicity”.

Bardell, who is in a relationship with a woman, accused the member of the House of Lords of “abusive behaviour” towards security on Wednesday, January 8, and said it was “one of the worst cases of abuse of security staff” she had ever seen during her time as an MP.

Maginnis, who has previously compared being gay to bestiality, responded to the accusation by telling HuffPost UK: “She and I are known to be on other sides – I am opposed to abortion, I am opposed to gay people like her seeking to change marriage… Queers like Ms Bardell don’t particularly annoy me. OK, she’s got her cheap publicity out of it.”

Bardell told the Commons on Thursday, January 9: “I’m sorry to say the member from the other place who I have complained about has now launched a homophobic attack on me in the press.

“This will be reported to the police and I know I, and others, consider this to be a hate crime.”

Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg agreed that Maginnis’ behaviour was “unutterably disgraceful” and that the SNP MP was “clearly owed an apology”.

Bardell later confirmed that she had made the police report, writing on Twitter: “The homophobic attack on me by Lord Maginnis is considered a hate crime and has been reported to police.

“We must set best possible standards for staff and LGBTQ people and send message that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable here or anywhere else.”

On the same day, Lord Maginnis accused Bardell of having an “ulterior motive”.

He told BBC Radio Ulster: “The next thing this Scottish lassie, I forget her name, I’ve never seen her before, she was there and she stood up in the House of Commons and made a scene about my being bad tempered, which was quite true.

“It’s very strange she must have an ulterior motive, I haven’t discovered what that is yet”.

Bardell said on Twitter that she was aware she was in a “position of privilege”, but added: “I’m pretty angry and upset not least because I could at any time bump into this guy in my place of work.

“However I’m very conscious that LGBT people across the UK and beyond face much worse on a daily basis. No one should have to put up with it.”

Register to save articles and more. It'll only take a minute and it's free.
JOIN US TODAY!