Lardner's crass defence 'deeply offends'

Regardless of Philip Lardner's claims to the contrary (Letters, 4 May), as a gay man I do find his description of me as abnormal, and his proposal to reintroduce a law that described same-sex couples as unacceptable "pretended families", deeply offensive.

I welcome the fact that the Conservative party has moved on, and has now pledged to consider removing the segregation between civil partnership and marriage. More than 2,500 couples have registered a civil partnership in Scotland. The sky has not fallen in, and mixed-sex marriage has not been undermined.

The legal effects of civil partnership and marriage are virtually identical. But most people do not propose to their partner saying: "Will you civil partner me?"

Many feel that the official refusal to allow same-sex couples to call their relationship a marriage perpetuates a second-class status.

Marriage for same-sex couples is supported by the majority of Scots. The Scottish Liberal Democrats have already committed to change the law. Following the new pledge by the Tories, it is time the SNP and Labour reviewed their position on this and joined the consensus for change.

TIM HOPKINS

Equality Network

Bernard St

Edinburgh

Those perhaps fooled into sympathising with Philip Lardner over the Conservatives' disowning him as their North Ayrshire and Arran candidate (your report, 4 March) ought to be made aware that Lardner has a long, embarrassing history of making statements that remind many Tories of the bad old days when some card-carrying members also dallied on the quiet with the old National Front through such groups as the Monday Club and the Freedom Association.

In June 2008, on a Conservative website, Lardner called Rhodesia's Ian Smith his political hero.

Lardner was suspended from the Conservatives for doing so and was told in no uncertain terms that David Cameron would not tolerate people whose views belonged more with the BNP, NF, Dennis Delderfield's New Britain Party or Ukip in their ranks, let alone as candidates. He chose to ignore the warning; he has no reason to cry foul at the outcome.

For too long, too many like Lardner have espoused far-right views behind the "respectability" of a Conservative rosette, just as many loony lefties wanted to take advantage of the Labour "reflex" vote for their own ends. At last the Tories have done something right by giving these scoundrels the boot.

MARK BOYLE

Linn Park Gardens

Johnstone

I hold orthodox Christian views on homosexual sex – it is immoral. This is not a major election issue for me, though I am concerned about the fate of those who dare defy the liberal line.

However, with the Conservative party throwing out a candidate, Philip Lardner, who seems to hold views not dissimilar to my own, and the other parties queuing to express fake horror that he was ever a candidate, I now feel unable to vote for any mainstream party.

I can accept that a party's policies will never match my views exactly, but if my views are now regarded as so outrageous, I'll look elsewhere. We can now assume that any Evangelical or Catholic Christian is excluded from mainstream political parties.

No doubt emboldened by David Cameron's ruthless dispatch of Mr Lardner, his employers have now seen fit to suspend him from his teaching job, and he fears action by the General Teaching Council of Scotland.

Even if this amounts to nothing and Mr Lardner is reinstated, the ordeal he will have been through will deter other Christian teachers from speaking their mind, lest the thought police put them through extreme anxiety.

RICHARD LUCAS

Cowan Road

Edinburgh