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Kenneth Gunn, who said gays are "very sad people" and non-believers are "damned to hell" faces official complaint
Kenneth Gun
Homophobic SNP councillor called to resign
Kenneth Gunn, the SNP councillor who described gays as "very sad people" and said that non-believers are "damned to hell" on a BBC Radio Scotland phone-in programme, faces an official complaint and a call for his resignation from a fellow councillor, the Selkirk Weekend Advertiser reported today.
A lesbian couple, Linda Jackson and Barbara Harrison, have lodged a complaint with Scottish Borders Council, where they are both employed. Jackson, who celebrated a civil partnership with Harrison last year, is chair of the Scottish Borders LGBT Forum, which will also be submitting a complaint against Gunn, who in addition to being a councillor is also chair of the SNP constituency association. Jackson said that her experience of civil partnership showed that Gunn was out of touch with attitudes in the Borders.
"Barbara and I were a little unsure how our partnership would be received locally, for there is a perception people in the Borders hold more traditional views. But our fears were unfounded and we encountered nothing but kindness and warmth from local people, particularly when telling work colleagues, family and friends what we were doing, and approaching local businesses for accommodation, flowers, kilts etc."
Anger at Gunn's remarks has brought a call for his resignation from fellow Selkirkshire councillor Vicky Davidson (Liberal Democrat). "Kenny Gunn should keep his wild and ill-informed ramblings to himself and not air them on national radio," she said.
"That is an astonishing forfeit of his democratic privilege. Selkirk is a pleasant, friendly place and his homophobic views will have shocked many of its residents. Such bigoted and narrow-minded views have no place in 21st century Scotland. I think Mr Gunn should resign and that he and the SNP should apologise immediately to his constituents, to the gay and lesbian community and non-Christians and Christians alike in the Borders."
