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# Keir Starmer criticised for visiting anti-LGBTQ+ church
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/keir-starmer-criticised-for-visiting-anti-lgbtq-church/
- Published: 2021-04-06T14:15:22.000Z
- Updated: 2021-04-06T09:11:33.000Z
- Description: UK Labour leader Keir Starmer has come under fire after visiting Jesus House.
- Author: Rachel Badham
- Tags: News, Politics, ban conversion therapy, Keir Starmer, Labour, LGBT Labour, LGBTQ, UK

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/starmer-keir-600-400.jpg)

**UK Labour** leader **Keir Starmer** has come under fire after visiting **Jesus House**, a church known for its anti-LGBTQ+ views, and referring to it as a *“wonderful example of a church serving their community”*. MP **Kate Osborne** [said](https://twitter.com/KateOsborneMP/status/1378320935070134273?ref=scenemag.co.uk) she was *“very disappointed”* at Starmer’s actions, and pointed out that the church has *“a history of supporting conversation therapy and general intolerance towards LGBTQ+ people.”*

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/keir-starmer-600-400.jpg)

Many others criticised Starmer, with LGBTQ+ activist, author and journalist **James Ball** calling it *“offensive”*, [adding](https://twitter.com/jamesrbuk/status/1378290216113467393?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1378290217656934402%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es2%5F&ref%5Furl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinknews.co.uk%2F2021%2F04%2F03%2Flabour-party-keir-starmer-jesus-house-church-backlash-theresa-may-lgbt-gay%2F&ref=scenemag.co.uk): *“It takes \*one Google search\* to see Jesus House’s homophobic ties – because Theresa May had that issue when she visited. Which suggests either total incompetence by staff, which should merit a sacking, or that someone decided Starmer should offer some nudge/wink support for homophobia.”*

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/labour-lgbt-1.jpg)

**LGBT+ Labour** addressed the situation, [saying](https://twitter.com/LGBTLabour/status/1378296648665862148?ref=scenemag.co.uk) it has received an *“unreserved apology”* and *“will be urgently meeting with them next week to ensure this does not happen again and that LGBTQ+ equality is embedded in everything that Labour does.”* It also said LGBT+ Labour members still remain *“satisfied”* that Starmer is *“determined to ban conversion therapy and achieve equality for LGBTQ+ people.”*

Starmer has since [apologised](https://twitter.com/Keir%5FStarmer/status/1379164412632793090?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1379164412632793090%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1%5F&ref%5Furl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fkeir-starmer-apologises-visiting-church-23859721&ref=scenemag.co.uk) and removed the video of himself visiting Jesus House, saying: *“I completely disagree with Jesus House’s beliefs on LGBTQ+ rights, which I was not aware of before my visit.”*