Labour MP asks Tyson Fury to chat about ‘issues’ ahead of SPOTY

SHADOW leader of the Commons Chris Bryant has urged new heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury to “get in touch” and come to tea at the House of Commons, so the pair can talk about his “issues”.

Boxer Tyson Fury. Picture: PA

Labour MP Mr Bryant argued Fury, who defeated Wladimir Klitschko to win his world titles last Saturday, was not an appropriate person to be nominated for the the BBC’s Sports Personality Of The Year (SPOTY) shortlist.

An online petition set up by LGBT campaigner Scott Cuthbertson has already collected more than 63,000 signatures demanding that he is removed from the list over his outspoken comments about homosexuality.

Mr Bryant said: “In part, I’m joking obviously about going head to head with him, but again I think in politics it is possible to change people’s minds.”

Asked if he was an appropriate person to be nominated for BBC SPOTY, Mr Bryant said: “No I don’t. In the end it’s not for me to tell the BBC what to do with their programme or for that matter Sky.”

He claimed: “My real problem is that Tyson has equated homosexuality with paedophilia and actually that is a very dangerous equation to make.”