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DUP's Edwin Poots referred to standards body over 'gay icon' tweet

The DUP's Edwin Poots posted the message on Twitter
The DUP's Edwin Poots posted the message on Twitter The DUP's Edwin Poots posted the message on Twitter

THE Green Party has made an official complaint against former DUP health minister Edwin Poots over a Twitter message accused of linking homosexuality with paedophilia.

In the tweet, Mr Poots criticised an article by PinkNews which said that some social media users were describing four-year-old Prince George as a "gay icon".

"Making children an icon of sexuality today, pedophilia [sic] tomorrow. Absolutely disgusting," the Lagan Valley MLA wrote.

The Green Party's Clare Bailey described his remark as "grossly offensive" and has made a complaint to the assembly standards commissioner.

It follows an online petition by the Greens that called for action against Mr Poots gaining more than 5,000 signatures.

"The huge response to the Green Party petition shows the level of offence caused," Ms Bailey said.

"To associate the LGBTQ [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer] community with paedophilia is grossly offensive and in my mind is a clear breach of the assembly code of conduct.

"The code requires assembly members to act in a way that is conducive to promoting good relations by tackling prejudice."

However, Mr Poots said he did not accept that his tweet linked homosexuality with paedophilia.

"The individuals who made a child a sexual icon did that, and that was what I was pointing out," he told the Belfast Telegraph.