Green MLA reports Poots to watchdog over ‘homophobic’ Prince George tweet
A GREEN Party MLA has submitted a formal complaint to the Assembly’s standards watchdog over a tweet by the DUP’s Edwin Poots in the wake of controversy over Prince George being branded a “gay icon”.
Clare Bailey acted after a Green Party NI petition calling for Stormont’s commissioner for standards to investigate Mr Poots for posting the tweet received more than 5,400 signatures in five days.
The online petition relates to a tweet posted by the Lagan Valley MLA last Friday that said: “Totally supporting Jim on this one, making children an icon of sexuality today, pedophilia (sic) tomorrow. Absolutely disgusting.”
Mr Poots’ tweet contained a link to a letter from TUV leader Jim Allister to Benjamin Cohen, the chief executive of LGBT website PinkNews, which was published in the Belfast News Letter.
The letter condemned PinkNews for posting a picture of Prince George on a helicopter with his face in his hands, accompanied by the statement: “Prince George has become a gay icon overnight.”
In his letter Mr Allister had stated: “In reality the photo which prompted the piece shows a four-year-old boy who is smartly dressed and excited about being on a helicopter with his male father and female mother.
“To take an image of a little boy and to fantasise of him being an icon for a life defined by sex is outrageous and sick. Sexualising a young child in this fashion is entirely inappropriate. You should immediately withdraw the article and apologise.”
The Green Party petition slammed Mr Poots’ response to the article.
It said: “Mr Poots’ tweet, with its grossly offensive linking of the LGBTQ community with “pedophilia” (sic) is contrary to the Northern Ireland Assembly Code of Conduct.
“We therefore call upon the Commissioner for Standards to carry out a full investigation of these comments by Mr Poots.
“The people of Northern Ireland have shown, most recently by the record-breaking attendance at Belfast Pride, that they support their LGBTQ friends, neighbours, colleagues and family members.
“Together, we have moved beyond the prejudice, homophobia, transphobia and intolerance of the past into an inclusive and respectful present. We stand together to affirm and protect that reality.”
Some of the Assembly’s ‘principles of conduct’ include equality, respect and promoting good relations.
In a statement, South Belfast MLA Ms Bailey said: “The huge response to the Green Party pe- tition shows the level of offence caused by Edwin Poots’ comments.
“To associate the LGBTQ community with paedophilia is grossly offensive and in my mind is a clear breach of the Assembly code of conduct.
“The code requires Assembly members to act in a way that is conducive to promoting good relations by tackling prejudice.
“There is also a requirement on all MLAs to show respect and consideration for others at all times.
“I believe that Edwin Poots’ comments are a clear contravention of the standards expected from MLAs.
“A full investigation is necessary and this formal complaint to the commissioner for standards will kick start that process.”
However, Mr Poots told the Belfast Telegraph that he didn’t accept his tweet linked homosexuality with paedophilia.
“The individuals who made a child a sexual icon did that, and that was what I was pointing out,” he said.
“The tweet is self-explanatory. Everything is very clear.
“You don’t make a child an icon of any sexuality. Claire Bailey can do what she wishes to do.”