Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Although the new look Conservative party pay lip service to matters of equality, and supposedly embrace all, regardless of colour, gender, sexual orientation etc., and even suggest that feral hoodies should be hugged, rather than feared, but have they really changed?

It's just emerged that shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling, believes that bed and breakfast owners should be allowed to refuse homosexuals accommodation, if they so wish. An act that would be unlawful.

Leading Tory says B&Bs should be allowed to ban homosexual couples - UK Politics, UK - The Independent

I wonder if he also believes that people who decide to rent out rooms, and provide breakfast for paying guests, should also be allowed to turn away, and refuse accommodation to other groups of people they happen not to like? Would he support their rights to turn away someone in a turban, or a mixed race couple, or someone wearing a crucifix?

It sounds like a return to the fifties, when boarding houses displayed signs in their windows saying 'no blacks', and 'no Irish'.

This comes close on the heels of Cameron's interview with Gay Times, in which he refused to take responsibility for Tory MEP's failure to condemn blatantly homophobic legislasion in Lithuania. Even Cameron called his interview 'wretched' afterwards, regarding his flustered attempts to answer straightforward questions regarding equality.

Cameron visibly flustered in Gay Times interview - UK Politics, UK - The Independent

Then there was the reported race row. When a candidate was threatened with deselection at local level, on grounds that's reportedly because of the colour of his skin.

Bid to deselect black candidate sparks Tory race row - Times Online

It would be nice to believe the Tory party of today isn't the same old racist, homophobic one of the past, and it would be wonderful to think that they've changed. But when you scratch beneath the surface, and see that what's underneath looks fairly alarming, especially when examples of prejudice appear from grass root level, right up to the top, and the leadership of the Conservative party, it leaves us wondering if the reported changes are for real, or just an attempt to hoodwink votes, from previously ignored groups of the electorate.

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Chris Grayling says that for hotels, they shouldn't get a choice, but for B&Bs, they should be able to turn people away because it's their own home.

No. It's not their home, it's a business. You chose to open it to the public, and you should be subject to the same laws as all other businesses.

From my experience the party is not racist, or homophobic. The party are selecting minority candidates in safe seats, not just long-shot seats. After Tory leader reveals his list of ethnic candidates, Cameron's Rainbow 1st Eleven | Mail Online

Of course there will always be some people who don't change with the party. There are people in all parties who get found out to be racists, homophobes and hold many other disgusting views. With the coming election there is much media scrutiny on the Conservatives and it's no surprise that Labour ministers like Chris Bryant jump on the chance to portray the party as not at all changed, all a bunch of homophobes. They couldn't be further from the truth.

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

I'd like to know the grounds that shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling, would support, for refusing accommodation to gay people.

Have these Tory B & B owners received special training in spotting them, so their premises remain unsullied?

- You might 'say' you're two sisters, here for your nephew's wedding, but I really know why you want my back twin room. Queen Victoria might not have believed your lot existed, but I've seen your disgusting and perverted girl on girl films. Out!

-Come on Mary Ann, who you kidding? You're not a travelling petroleum salesman. I saw that John Barryman sings show tunes CD in your car. You're a raving homo, and you can clear off my property now. Out!

-Calling yourself 'Sister Wendy', and dressing up like a nun, doesn't fool me. A normal lady wouldn't wear such sensible, mannish shoes, with no visible heel. Clear off you dirty dyke. Out!

-A wash bag with aftershave balm? Get your pampered, effete cosmetics back in your car Nancy boy, and leave now. Out!

:rolleyes:

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

So you'd support the right for people to refuse accommodation at their B & B's, if they didn't happen to like the colour of someone's skin?

Just the same principle, and just as ignorant.

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

i think it is you who are no further from the truth andrew:rolleyes: take yer blinkers off. they will never change,never have,never will,

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

What? No. Like I just said, B&Bs should not be able to refuse people on the basis of their sexuality, or the colour of their skin, or their race. They should be subject to the same laws as all businesses regardless of if it's in their own home or not.

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

So hopefully you'll be sending a message of protest to your shadow Home Secretary, because of his blind, ignorant, discrimination?

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

he can't cos it aint labour thats saying it.:rolleyes:

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

...Dr (Liam) Fox's crass attempt at humour at the shadow cabinet drinks

party. He asked journalists: 'What do you call three dogs and a black bird?'

His answer: 'The Spice Girls.'

Top Tory's racist joke about the Spice Girls; Shadow health minister is forced to apologise after drinks party gaffe. - Free Online Library

I'm sure the shadow Defence Secretary would do an excellent job, when dealing with those foreign Fuzzy-Wuzzies.

:rolleyes:

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Hannan neatly proves Carter's point by saying:

"Barack Obama has an exotic background and it would be odd if some people weren't unsettled by it."

"[Obama seems to] have family on every continent".

"[I]t could hardly fail to leave a chunk of people feeling that Obama wasn't exactly a regular guy."

So, who is Daniel Hannan? He has been in the news lately for running down the National Health Service on American television. Is he an obscure MEP? No. David Cameron rewarded him for the fallout over the NHS row with a new frontbench European job on legal affairs. But are they close? Yes.
New Statesman - Tory racism: crystal clear

It doesn't take much effort to scratch a little beneath the 'all embracing' surface.

:rolleyes:

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Why single him out, as a particular opponent of inequality?

Just because he's gay doesn't make his opinion any less valid.

Most right-mined people, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or colour, find racism and homophobia unacceptable, irrespective of their own circumstances.

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Let's have a bit of balance. A quote from Matthew Sephton who is the Conservative who will be standing against Hazel Blears in Salford.

“As Ben Summerskill of Stonewall recently said, the Conservatives after the next general election are likely to have the biggest number of openly-LGBT MPs than any other party, and I’m proud to be selected to stand as one of many openly-LGBT candidates.

Gay Tory candidate selected to challenge Hazel Blears - from Pink News - all the latest gay news from the gay community - Pink News

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

It's no secret the Tory-Lites are portraying themselves as the 'all embracing rainbow party', as I've pointed out many times on here, along with others.

The question is, despite what they'd have people believe, and evidenced by this latest story of blatant discrimination, have they really changed, or is it a thin veneer of pretence, in order to be more appealing to all sections of the electorate?

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

I'm just suprised they haven't yet had 'all hoodie' candidate lists, to appeal to an even wider strata of society.

:rolleyes::D

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Of course it is. If labour can do it why can't the Conservatives?

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

You'll like this garinda; look what your favourite political group think of Labour.:D:D
Labour is worse than Nick Griffin’s ‘racist’ British National Party (BNP) party

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

The difference being though, when given the chance, unlike previous Conservative governments, they backed up their claims of inclusiveness, to change laws that targeted and discriminated against various sections of society.

So it's harder to paint them as hypocritical, and merely paying lip service to equality, in order to be seen as more appealing to the electorate.

;)

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

I don't see extremist religious nutters as a particularly strong political 'group'.

Like our own Logan, they're merely a sadly amusing sideshow, to the main players.

;)

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Here's how barmy some labour MPs are.

Iain Dale's Diary: Labour MP: It's Racist Not to Invite Me on QTime!


Labour MP: It's Racist Not to Invite Me on QTime!


Remember Dawn Butler? She's a Labour MP who seems to specialise in making an arse of herself. For those with short memories click HERE, HERE and HERE. And she's at it again this week, accusing the BBC of racism because they haven't invited her to appear on Question Time. Her reason? Her opponent at the next election, the "hideously white" Sarah Teather has been invited on three times this year. This conveniently ignores that fact that Teather is a leading LibDem front bench spokesman and the LibDems don't exactly have a huge genepool to choose from. Far be it from me to cast aspersions on Ms Butler's intellectual abilities, but her colleagues seem to regard her as, well, not the sharpest knife in the Labour drawer.

The BBC responded by saying...

The suggestion that Question Time does not feature panellists from a wide range of backgrounds simply does not bear scrutiny. Diane Abbott, David Lammy, Sayeeda Warsi, Priti Patel, Chuka Umunna, Shahid Malik, Shaun Bailey, Adam Afriyie, Baroness Amos and Paul Boateng have all appeared. Other panellists include the Rt Revd Nazir Ali, Archbishop Sentamu, Rageh Omaar, Shappi Khorsandi, June Sarpong, Trisha Goddard, Beverley Knight, Tim Campbell, Hardeep Singh, Salma Yaqoob, Yvonne Thompson and Bonnie Greer. Sarah Teather is part of the Liberal Democrat cabinet team and every Labour panellist in the current series has also been at cabinet level.


To accuse the BBC of racism just because she's not been invited onto the most high profile current affairs show on TV is typical of people who see racism in every perceived snub. The rest of us should just laugh at her craven attitude.

UPDATE: I have just been told that Dawn Butler was selected from an all black shortlist. So that's not racist then...

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Exclusive: Gay Tory MP Alan Duncan calls Labour’s homophobia accusations ‘a sick scare story’ - from Pink News - all the latest gay news from the gay community - Pink News

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Not suprisingly there has always been high ranking homosexuals in the Conservative party, as there are in every walk of life.

It's just that they chose to hide their identities in the political closet, by always voting against law reforms that would have resulted in greater equality, whilst carrying on with their own charade of pretence in their own lives.

The stories I could tell, if it weren't for threat of libel.

Still, not everyone lives forever....

:D

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Nobody said anything about his opinion being less valid because he's gay? :rolleyes:

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

So he's not opposing the discriminatory views, expressed and recorded by the shadow Home Secretary?

Oh dear.

Perhaps things haven't really changed very much at all.


The ghost of section 28 | Martin Popplewell | Comment is free | The Guardian

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

I just wondered out of all the people you could have chosen, you decided to target him.

:rolleyes:

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Because he's a Labour minister who jumps at the chance to acuse the Tories of homophobia? So what if he's gay or straight! The political correctness has gone to your head.

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Since she's apparently so keen on 'Family Values', what our Conservative candidate's stance would be on this issue, would be interesting to know.

Should people have the right to refuse accommodation, when they've decided to run their home as a business, to people who they don't like, based on sexuality, colour, or whatever else they might have an abhorrence for personally.

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Perhaps you know better, but I've not seen him 'jump' on matters of discrimination, more so than any other minister.

By your targeting him, it seems you think he has more of an agenda, than anyone else.

Discrimination is wrong.

Period.

As I hope even Alan Duncan acknowlegdes, despite his refusal to condemn Chris Grayling's homophobic views.

Incidentally it's just been on the BBC news that Grayling is standing by his comments.

Oh dear.

Not much real change at all then.

:(

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

'Instead he (shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling) has shown himself to be a hypocritical careerist toad, biting the bullet and swallowing his beliefs for a sniff of power. It's a mess, and safe to say even if he clings on for the next five weeks, he won't be won't be taking up an office anywhere near Horseferry Road.'
Tory Bear - right-wing political gossip: Chris Gayling

But he still remains securely seated in Cameron's Shadow Cabinet.

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Sorry , but my thinking is , if I owned/operated a BB inside MY home and a bunch of "rappers/gang bangers" turned up using the word "Mothaf---er" or "yo bitch" every second word I would hope I would have some legal protection to refuse them a crib for the night , same as if I was the landlord of a family "type" pub who used (maybe still has) the right to refuse service to the foul mouthed .
Should an 'ethnic' owned BB on Brick Lane (London) be forced to accept a family group of BNP supporters in town to celebrate the election of their partys MPs to Westminster , I'm thinking the BB owners would be let off as the actions of the BNP would be seen as provocative .

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

Legally you 'have the right to terminate a stay without refund or compensation, where unreasonable behaviour of the persons named on the booking form, or their guests, might impair the enjoyment, comfort, or health of other guests or resident owner.'

If you demand the right to vet who stays at your bed and breakfast, perhaps opening this sort of business isn't really one you should be running in Your home.

Happily the shadow Justice Secretary seems a little more switched on.

'Dominic Grieve, the shadow Justice Secretary, said that B&Bs should not be able to discriminate, The Independent has learnt. "If you decide you are going to turn your home into a bed and breakfast, you are providing a public service and you have to accept that you cannot discriminate over who stays there," Mr Grieve said.'

"If you can't accept that then you are in the wrong business. It is no different from a Muslim taxi driver refusing to take a blind person because they think the dog is dirty: the law states you must take the blind person. You have no recourse to argue."
Gay rights row engulfs Tories after Grayling gaffe - UK Politics, UK - The Independent

'Gay couples aren't barging into people's homes and demanding a bed for the night. They are simply trying to use a publicly advertised service, without having the door slammed in their face because of a harmless natural difference they were probably born with.'
Johann Hari: How is this different from turning away black couples? - Johann Hari, Commentators - The Independent

Re: Have the Tory-Lites really changed?
 

What we have is a Shadow Home Secretary suggesting that the law of the land should be bent to accommodate the sensibilities of those who find other people distasteful for one reason or another due to "strong convictions."

I can think of a number of people with strong convictions who would applaud such a way of thinking. Most of them are pretty obvious, and many had stiff right arms.

I see UKIP have a few problems of their own, too. Must be catching.