Politics

Openly gay MP Ben Bradshaw does not believe that Nick Griffin should appear on Question Time tonight. He believes that Question Time will not provide Griffin with a rigorous enough challenge. 

The appearance of the British National Party (BNP) leader on the BBC’s flagship political panel programme has divided the Cabinet. Peter Hain, the Welsh Secretary, has lead a campaign to stop the show.

Gordon Brown, who described the British National Party as “racist and bigoted” this morning, refused to weigh into the controversy enveloping the BBC over its decision to allow Mr Griffin on its flagship political programme.

Protesters have begun to gather outside BBC Television Centre. The BBC have commented that they will not be relocating the filming of the show.

Read more: Gay MP against BNP appearance on BBC Question Time

A Muslim journalist who was once described as "homophobic" by gay rights activist Peter Tatchell is now endorsing the campaigner's bid to become an MP.

Adam Yosef, who works with the BBC, has written to Tatchell pledging his support to the parliamentary candidate for Oxford East, England.

In 2005, Yosef was accused by Tatchell and his Outrage! organisation of "unabashed homophobia" and "xenophobia" following an article he wrote in a national newspaper which branded Tatchell an "Islamophobe" and was said to encourage violence against him.

At the time of the incident Tatchell urged entertainment weekly Desi Xpress, for whom Adam worked as a columnist, to remove Yosef from his post. Tatchell also called on the BBC to sack Mr Yosef while the Labour Party's Tribune magazine called on the National Union of Journalists to strip him of his NUJ card.

In an offiical statement from Peter Tatchell's Outrage! organisation, Muslim Affairs spokesperson Aaron Saeed stated Yosef had "abused his journalistic position to attack Tatchell on behalf [of] people he has previously worked for", citing his close affiliation to the Respect Party.

Read more: Muslim "homophobe" backs Gay Rights Activist

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been addressing the Speaker's Conference this morning. In his opening address he explained that Parliment should be made more accessible to LGBT people. 

If 6% of the population is made up of LGBT people, 40 lesbian, gay, bi or trans MPs would be needed to represent the LGBT community in Parliment.

He went to suggest Civil Partnerships could be held in parts of parliament, such as the Westminster Hall chapel, where MPs, peers and their families can get married currently.

The meeting covering MPs who are female, disabled, gay or from ethnic minorities has been made shown on the BBC News channel.

David Bahati, a Ugandan MP, has proposed a new offence of "aggravated homosexuality", punishable by death.

Bahati wants the death penalty for those having gay sex with disabled people, under 18s or if the accused is HIV-positive. Homosexual acts, but not sexual orientation, are illegal in Uganda. The new Bill proposes new offences and is toughening existing penalties. People who have openly declared that they are gay have not been prosecuted because declaring sexual orientation is not a crime in itself.

The President, Yoweri Museveni, has made several speeches outlining his own anti-gay views. The bill has a good chance of being passed as senior figures from the ruling National Resistance Movement are likely to back it.

There are estimated to be 500,000 gay people in Uganda, from a population of about 31 million.

Read more: Death Penalty for Gays in Uganda

David Wilshire MP has referred himself to parliament's sleaze watchdog after reports that he had used expenses to pay over £100,000 to a firm he owned.

In 1987 Wilshire designed Section 28 after seeing  a childeren’s book about a gay couple. The amendment he introduced to the local government act made it illegal to “promote in any maintained school the acceptability of homosexuality”. He claims it was only to save tax payers money. 

In a statement the MP for Spelthorne in Surrey said he was confident he would be cleared of any wrongdoing by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, but said he was quitting for the sake of his party.

He has made a statement, "The allegations made in today's Telegraph are deeply hurtful and unjustified. However, my constituents rightly want reassurance and the truth, these allegations also run the risk of harming my local party and our national party's chances of winning at the next General Election."

Read more: Section 28 MP may have to repay £100,000 expense claim