Teddy Taylor
It was rather as if Enoch Powell had been guest. of'
honour at the Notting Hill Carnival. Parliamentary queer-basher
Teddy Taylor confronted SMG Glasgow at their new Gay Centre,
just a few weeks after he had publicly criticized the spending
of taxpayers' money on this "spanking new club for homosexuals" (What
a pity he didn't get his words the wrong way round). :
The Centre was crammed for, the meeting, which Ian Dunn was describing
afterwards as "the best political meeting I 've ever attended in
this country". SMG News is grateful to Fraser Borwick for supplying
the following report, by 9am the next morning.
Mr Edward Taylor, Conservative MP for Cathcart and shadow spokesman
for Scottish affairs was invited to Glasgow Gay Centre; on Tuesday 20th
September. He recently objected to the use of pubic funds in the construction
of the Centre.
Mr Taylor said that he did not dislike SMG, but did not like "anything
of an evangelical nature". He admitted that his only contact with
homosexuals was when they visited him in London, He felt that homosexual
relationships were not longlasting or genuinely happy, features of the "stable
family relationship". -
Viewing stable, long-term, monogamous, heterosexual relationships
as being for the good of society, he felt that homosexuals, unlike other
minorities, posed a threat to society. Medical evidence suggested a large
area of people undecided about their sexual orientation and he felt that
the Government should use its resources to influence people away from
being Gay towards happiness and for the benefit of society. Members from
London Gay Switchboard mentioned the large number of calls from married
people (10 to 20 per day) with families who were now experiencing agonies
after following the course advocated by Mr Taylor. It was pointed out
that few were gay by choice. .
He did agree that sex education should include homosexuality — "that
it might occur, why it happens and what should be done about it." He
supported Glasgow University Senate in preventing a Gay Soc. He
regarded people under 18 as minors. He would not support the lowering
of the age of' consent for homosexuals from 21 to 18. He felt that his
views were 'most widely held in the Conservative Party, although he knew
that two members of the Shadow Cabinet were totally opposed to his views.
The Tory Party would allow a free debate and he, if Secretary of State,
would not prevent a Bill from being introduced.
Mr Taylor agreed that a law which existed but was not enforced
was an anomaly but did not think it should be repealed. "This would
be almost a positive promotion of the growing practice of homosexuality
as has happened in England".
It was suggested that this was hypocritical having a law to appease
a sector of the electorate, yet not' permitting' prosecutions because
of his own integrity and intelligence. He countered that in' his' view
the damage done, by the repeal would far outweigh present unhappiness
'
He did however say that he expected the law would be changed but
that he could only 'reconsider his views if he met us all in twenty years'
time to see how happy we were. (Should you read this Mr. Taylor,
please email us and we
will invite you to reconsider your views by meeting with us.)
FRASER BORWICK (SMG News October, 1977).
Prior to his visit to the Gay Centre, Teddy Taylor had been reported
in the Glasgow Herald in an article "Taylor attacks cash for gay
group" (GH
1977 Aug 29, 3c) with corresponance. (GH
1977 Sep 1, 6d, C). Also in the Scotsman 29 Aug 1977
MP stands down
from Press & Journal, Aberdeen, 3 February, 2004.
TORY MP Sir Teddy Taylor, above,
one of the most vociferous and unyielding critics of the European
Union of his generation, announced yesterday he would not be
standing at the next general election. He is 66. Sir Teddy, MP
for Rochford and Southend East, first entered Parliament in 1964
as MP for Glasgow, Hillhead. He was one of the band of defiant
antiEuropean Tory back-benchers, which became known as the Barmy
Army.
If you have any more information
about this please email me.
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