Esther McVey: Tory leadership hopeful sparks backlash with remarks over LGBT+ relationship lessons

Former work and pensions minister told by Tory colleague: ‘You can’t pick and choose on human rights and equality’

Esther McVey, the Conservative leadership candidate, has sparked condemnation after saying parents should be free to stop their children learning about LGBT+ relationships in schools.

The former work and pensions secretary argued that “parents know best for their children” and claimed it was “down to them” if they wanted to withdraw children from sex and relationship education.

The comments provoked an immediate backlash, with MPs from across the political spectrum condemning the Tatton MP.

Speaking to Sky News, Ms McVey said: “I believe parents know best for their children. While they’re still children – and we’re talking primary school [age] – then really the parents need to have the final say on what they want their children to know.”

She condemned parents protesting outside schools, but said: “The final say is with the parents. If parents want to take their young children – primary schools children – out of certain forms of sex and relationship education then that is down to them.”

Under new government regulations, all primary schools must teach students about different types of family, while secondary schools have to provide lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity.

As the row over Ms Vey’s comments grew, Justine Greening, the former education secretary and equalities minister, tweeted to her Conservative colleague saying: “You can’t pick and choose on human rights and equality. Children should understand a modern and diverse Britain they’re growing up in.

“[It] matters for social mobility too – you can’t be your best if you can’t be yourself.”

The SNP’s Stewart McDonald claimed that Ms McVey would bring back the infamous Section 28 legislation, which banned schools from teaching pupils about LGBT+ relationships. It was scrapped in 2003.

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Mr McDonald tweeted: “An Esther McVey premiership would almost certainly lead to the return of Section 28. This is her just laying the groundwork.”

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The former cabinet minister’s comments come amid a deepening row between Muslim parents and a Birmingham primary school over sex and relationship lessons.

Parents and other local residents have been holding almost daily protests outside Anderton Park primary school in opposition to its policy.

Nazir Afzal, a former chief prosecutor for northwest England, was brought in to run meditation talks between the local council, teachers and parents but announced on Thursday that discussions had broken down after six weeks.

He accused the government of acting “cowardly” for not being more specific about what young children should be taught, telling Sky News: “The government need to mandate what needs to happen around relationship education. What should be the curriculum, not just simply leave it for local interpretation because this is what will happen ... The government are cowardly in this regard.

“This is a political matter ... There are loads of people who still don’t believe in gay relationships, who still don’t believe in LGBT+ within the government party, within their coalition partners.

“And so they’re not prepared to get involved in this subject. And quite frankly unless the government do, we’re going to have this dispute rumbling on for years and years and years and it’ll get worse and worse and worse.”

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