Gerald Warner: Vichy Tories denounce the last Conservative worth his deposit

Published on Saturday 1 May 2010 20:22

WITHIN living memory it was virtually impossible for a Catholic to be selected as a parliamentary candidate for the Scottish Conservative Party.

Today it has become impossible for a committed Christian of any denomination. As last week's events demonstrated, the anti-Christian tide of political correctness has engulfed the Scottish Tories, sweeping away any vestigial credibility they may still have retained.

Sensational headlines surrounded the suspension of Philip Lardner, the Conservative candidate for North Ayrshire and Arran, because of a statement he had published on his website relating to homosexuality and Christian beliefs, the initial presumption being that Lardner had indulged in some kind of undisciplined rant against homosexuals. In fact Lardner wrote as follows.

"I will always support the rights of homosexuals to be treated within concepts of (common-sense) equality and respect, and defend their rights to choose to live the way they want in private, but I will not accept that their behaviour is 'normal' or encourage children to indulge in it. The promotion of homosexuality by public bodies (as per clause 28/Section 2a in Scotland), was correctly outlawed by Mrs Thatcher's government. Toleration and understanding is one thing, but state-promotion of homosexuality is quite another. Why should Christian churches be forced by the government to employ homosexuals as 'ministers' against all that the Bible teaches?"

That is a temperate, measured but uncompromising statement based on Christian conscience and personal freedom. It is not abusive or offensive. It reflects the views of many Scots and in its frankness compares favourably with the weasel "don't ask, don't tell" attitude of most parliamentary candidates at this election on almost every issue, not least the public deficit. For that honest account of his stance, Lardner was suspended as a Tory candidate.

A statement by the Scottish Conservative Party described his opinions as "deeply offensive and unacceptable… These views have no place in the modern (sic] Conservative party." Since the views in question represent those of the majority of the Church of Scotland, the Catholic Church and evangelicals, it is self-evident that Lardner was correct in his response: "David Cameron appears to be saying there is no place in the Party for anyone with Christian beliefs."

Annabel Goldie, interviewed on television, went into cracked gramophone record mode: "We had a candidate who made completely unacceptable remarks… When a candidate behaves in an unacceptable manner, a party has to act decisively and appropriately… David Cameron has made clear that the Conservative Party is a modern party for the 21st century, it is an all-inclusive party and where a candidate behaves in a manner that is completely unacceptable…" Pressed on whether the party was inclusive enough for Christians, this Elder of the Church of Scotland articulated her robust Christian witness: "When a candidate behaves in a manner which is completely unacceptable…" All right, enough already.

Here is another example of the kind of unacceptable remarks Goldie condemned, uttered in the Scottish Parliament on 10 February, 2000, when a Conservative MSP rose to move a motion opposing the repeal of Section 28 (clause 2a) prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality in schools: "I oppose the repeal of section 28, because I must listen to the fears and concerns of the people who put us in this Parliament, not to the zealous naivety of the Executive." The speaker was not Philip Lardner, but Annabel Goldie.

That was followed by the Keep the Clause referendum, supported by Goldie, in which 1,094,440 Scots voted to retain section 2a. For that they were denounced by their supposed servants, the politicians, as "bigots" – not a term the PC pondlife have been so keen to employ over the past few days. Goldie's pathetic Vichy Tories, who have sold out their supporters on every issue from devolution to Christian morality, mustered a grand total of 334,743 votes at the last Scottish elections; yet they gratuitously insult and repel the 1.1 million Scots who supported them on the issue that Philip Lardner raised.

The Conservative Party has become the biggest single threat to freedom in this country. That is because when a government abolishes free speech, persecutes Christians and imposes culturally Marxist political correctness on the nation, it is not a serious threat so long as there is a democratic opposition waiting in the wings to reverse this tyranny. By embracing the same PC totalitarianism and blocking candidates who want to reverse it, the Cameronian Party has created a one-party state, even if the PC hydra has three heads. That is why, for true conservatives, the defeat of the toxic Tories led by Cameron and Goldie is an urgent priority. Disregard the label: the content is Stalinist. Only in North Ayrshire and Arran is there a Conservative candidate worth voting for.