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# House of Lords member suspended over homophobia
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/house-of-lords-member-suspended-over-homophobia/
- Published: 2020-12-09T08:08:13.000Z
- Updated: 2020-12-08T12:52:44.000Z
- Description: On December 3, it was announced that Lord Ken Maginnis, 82, is being suspended for at least 18 months by the Lords Conduct Committee, after harassing various LGBTQ+ MPs.
- Author: Rachel Badham
- Tags: News, Politics, House of Lords, LGBTQ, UK News, UK Politics

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/110439892_maginnis-1.jpg)

Lord Ken Maginnis

On **December 3**, it was announced that **Lord Ken Maginnis**, 82, is being suspended for at least 18 months by the Lords Conduct Committee, after harassing various LGBTQ+ MPs with homophobic language. According to the [inquiry](https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/402/conduct-committee/news/136879/the-conduct-of-lord-maginnis-of-drumglass/?ref=scenemag.co.uk) into his behaviour by Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, Maginnis is guilty of verbally abusing [**Luke Pollard**](https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/11/13/luke-pollard-mp-plymouth-homophobic-graffitit-general-election-ann-widdecombe/?ref=scenemag.co.uk) and **Hannah Bardell**, who are both LGBTQ+ MPs, as well as a parliamentary security officer. Bardell witnessed that event and subsequently spoke out about his abusive behaviour.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/28pcasp_hannah_bardell_11-1.jpg)

Hannah Bardell

Talking to [**HuffPost** ](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/abuse-lord-maginnis-hannah-bardell%5Fuk%5F5e161a09c5b6c7b859d48fbf?ref=scenemag.co.uk)about Bardell, Maginnis said: *“She and I are known to be on other sides – I am opposed to abortion, I am opposed to gay people like her seeking to change marriage. You might say I’m old fashioned, or you could say I’m conservative in Biblical terms – I mean, I’m not a preacher or anything…Queers like Ms Bardell don’t particularly annoy me,”* sparking backlash from many. He also claimed there would have been no issue with the parliamentary security guard had Bardell not ‘intervened’.

Bardell responded *“I challenged his behaviour because staff do not deserve to be subjected to this kind of abuse.* *Lord Maginnis has now not only admitted to this terrible behaviour, but he is now turning to spouting this homophobic bile. While I might not annoy him, homophobic, rude and intolerable men abusing their positions of power annoy me, greatly.”* [**The Scottish Telegraph**](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/12/03/lord-maginnis-suspended-18-months-homophobic-offensive-abuse/?ref=scenemag.co.uk) also noted Maginnis compared same-sex relations to bestiality, and described gay marriage as unnatural in 2012\. He is now required to undergo mandatory training to address his behaviour, and has been threatened with a further suspension if he fails to engage constructively with the course.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/homophobia-1.jpg)