OUR LATEST ISSUE
SITE SEARCH
Leader of city's Conservatives described lottery grant to gay group as an 'outrageous waste of money'
By: Catherine A. Ross
EACH was rewarded a Lottery grant
EACH was rewarded a Lottery grant
Bristol councillor accused of homophobia called to resign
The Bristol councillor who described an award of lottery funding to a gay charity as a "mistaken and misguided, outrageous waste of money" will be the subject of a demonstration in the city tonight calling for his resignation.
Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH) was awarded £381,668 last month by the Big Lottery Fund for their REACH project.
A statement from the group said: "Throughout the next five years this will be spent upon EACH's ground-breaking project, REACH: supporting lesbian, gay or bisexual young people develop a sense of pride in their identity and help their peers and adults in young people's settings challenge homophobic bullying."
But in the Bristol Evening Post, Richard Eddy, who leads the opposition Conservatives on the city council, said: "I think this is a mistaken and misguided, outrageous waste of money.
"Sadly, it seems to be further confirmation that the Big Lottery has long since ceased to impartially distribute lottery cash to worthwhile and respected causes, instead it seems obliged to dole out punters' money to a raft of politically correct lobbies which clearly sit within the Labour government's priority."
Campaign organiser Darren Lewis said: "For some years now, Mr Eddy has made attacks on Bristol minority groups which anyone would understand was likely to cause offence. These views expressed are just not acceptable in the twenty-first century and should not go unchallenged."
Yesterday, Eddy said in a letter to Lewis that his objection centred on how much money was given to EACH, while other worthy causes in deprived areas of south Bristol went without. "The issue is not whether organisations such as EACH are deserving of support," he wrote.
"Rather, the question posed by the Post's reporter was whether it was appropriate to award the lion's share of Big Lottery funding to EACH when there were many other worthwhile local causes, including some in deprived areas of south Bristol of which I am very aware, which were unsuccessful.
"Frankly, it is perverse to attribute reasoned, fair and legitimate criticism of the size of the grant to accusations of homophobia."
But in the Bristol Evening Post, Richard Eddy, who leads the opposition Conservatives on the city council, said: "I think this is a mistaken and misguided, outrageous waste of money.
"Sadly, it seems to be further confirmation that the Big Lottery has long since ceased to impartially distribute lottery cash to worthwhile and respected causes, instead it seems obliged to dole out punters' money to a raft of politically correct lobbies which clearly sit within the Labour government's priority."
Campaign organiser Darren Lewis said: "For some years now, Mr Eddy has made attacks on Bristol minority groups which anyone would understand was likely to cause offence. These views expressed are just not acceptable in the twenty-first century and should not go unchallenged."
Yesterday, Eddy said in a letter to Lewis that his objection centred on how much money was given to EACH, while other worthy causes in deprived areas of south Bristol went without. "The issue is not whether organisations such as EACH are deserving of support," he wrote.
"Rather, the question posed by the Post's reporter was whether it was appropriate to award the lion's share of Big Lottery funding to EACH when there were many other worthwhile local causes, including some in deprived areas of south Bristol of which I am very aware, which were unsuccessful.
"Frankly, it is perverse to attribute reasoned, fair and legitimate criticism of the size of the grant to accusations of homophobia."
