LGBTQ+ community slates comments made in controversial leaflet

A Fife by-election candidate has sparked fury after suggesting the council should crack down on what he called “wasteful politically correct” spending – such as the region’s gay pride event and employing climate change officers.

Alastair Macintyre, who is standing as an independent candidate in the forthcoming Rosyth by-election, questioned the local authority’s £10,000 yearly outlay on events like Fife Pride – the region’s celebration of gay, lesbian and transgender rights – while other areas of society needed investment.

However, his views, which formed part of material posted to households in the ward, were slammed by LGBTQ+ groups, amid calls for him to retract his statement.

While he says he has “nothing against” anyone from the LGBTQ+ community, Mr Macintyre has stood by his comments and maintains taxpayers’ money would be better spent elsewhere.

He said: “When I say I am against politically correct spending, I should probably clarify that I mean spending on things that I and many others consider non-essential and, indeed, Fife Pride is one of these things.

“I came across an advert for a climate change officer at South Ayrshire Council paying a salary of £25,258-£27,594. This is another example of what I mean by politically correct spending.”

Stuart Duffy, of Fife-based LGBT charity, Pink Saltire, co-founders of Pride in 2017, highlighted the wider benefits the event has brought to Fife as a whole.

“It’s a rather simplistic argument that by stopping Fife Council’s ‘politically correct’ spending we could somehow fix all the roads, schools, hospitals and reduce redundancies in the kingdom.

“Quite the opposite is true in this instance, with a study suggesting the economic impact of events like Fife Pride generate far more for the local economy in things like hotel stays, travel, dining out and other spend, than they cost to put on.

“People from every town and village in Fife attended Pride this year, including Mr Macintyre’s ward.

“We’d invite the candidate to withdraw his misleading claims from this leaflet for the remainder of the campaign.”

Events like Fife Pride generate far more for the local economy in things like hotel stays, travel, dining out and other spend, than they cost to put on. STUART DUFFY

Picture: George McLuskie The Fife Pride summer event parades through the High Street, Kirkcaldy.