Tory party filled with gays
Labour's candidate to be London mayor Ken Livingstone came under fire last night after claiming the Tory party was "riddled" with gays.
He accused some Conservatives of being hypocrites for publicly denouncing homosexuality while privately "indulging" in it.
Mr Livingstone, 66 — who also claimed Margaret Thatcher was "clinically insane" — said: "The Labour ones have all come out.
"As soon as Blair got in, if you came out as lesbian or gay you immediately got a job — it was wonderful. You just knew the Tory party was riddled with it like everywhere else is."
Angry Conservatives demanded he "apologise immediately".
Ealing MP Angie Bray said: "These are the sort of offensive remarks we hear too often from Labour's candidate for mayor.
"Ed Miliband should condemn these outrageous comments."
Witham MP Priti Patel added: "This shows Ken Livingstone for who he really is — a nasty and divisive individual with a long history of abusive attacks."
A spokesman for Mr Livingstone said his remarks, in the left-wing New Statesman magazine, were taken out of context.
He said: "Ken is clearly saying the advance of lesbian and gay people into politics is unequivocally a good thing.
"He has fought for equality for gay people throughout his life."
