Unionist compares homosexuality to bestiality

The Ulster Unionist Party has been having a fairly torrid time of it for the past decade and a half, but now they've had to confirm that grouping homosexuality with bestiality is not their policy.

Ken Maginnis is probably a fine, upstanding member of the northern Unionist community, but someone should probably make him keep his mouth firmly shut when it comes to sexuality.

Yesterday he spewed his hatred-ridden beliefs about homosexuality on the north's most popular radio talk show (basically our version of Liveline).

He told the host, Stephen Nolan, that gay marriage was deviant because it was unnatural. He thinks society should not: "have imposed on it something that is unnatural".

"This is really based upon sexual practice," he said. "Does that mean that every deviant practice has to be accommodated? Will the next thing be that we legislate for some sort of bestiality?"

Nolan then obviously asked the former MP whether he was equating being gay with having sex with animals. He responded: "I am saying it is a rung on the ladder."

The UUP's new leader quickly came out to distance himself and the party from Maginnis's homophobic views. "[He] was speaking in a personal capacity without our knowledge or permission, and his comments do not reflect Ulster Unionist Party policy," a statement from the party read.

That's clear then, the UUP don't hate gay people... but some of their members do!