Fury over Clegg 'bigot' slur on gay marriage opponents: Church leaders attack offensive remark

Nick Clegg was accused of 'riding roughshod' over the views of the religious last night after he was forced to withdraw comments in which he branded opponents of gay marriage 'bigots'.
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, described the Deputy Prime Minister as 'immature' over remarks he had issued ahead of a reception to mark the end of a consultation on same-sex weddings.
The Liberal Democrat leader was due to describe opponents of the reform as 'bigots', according to a Cabinet Office press release.

 

Nick Clegg speaking to the actor Simon Callow on the night he made a speech at a reception to celebrate the end of the Government's consultation on gay marriage

 

He was expected to say: 'Continued trouble in the economy gives the bigots a stick to beat us with, as they demand we “postpone” the equalities agenda in order to deal with “the things people really care about”.
'As if pursuing greater equality and fixing the economy simply cannot happen at once.'

 

But as the incendiary detail of his remarks quickly began to circulate, it prompted a bitter row with MPs on the Tory Right who oppose gay marriage, as well as church leaders.
Ninety minutes after issuing the offending statement, Mr Clegg's office mounted an extraordinary attempt to 'recall' it. Five minutes later, a new version of the speech was issued, with the reference to 'bigots' taken out and replaced with 'some people'.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was today forced to withdraw the statement which accused opponents of gay marriage of being 'bigots'

 

 

Lord Carey Of Clifton (left), the former Archbishop of Canterbury, said many people would be 'highly offended' by Mr Clegg's remarks while Conservative MP Peter Bone (right) said the Deputy PM should resign