LABOUR MAN IN GAY QUIT BLAST

Jan 24 2007 By John Hutcheson, Wishaw Press

A TOP councillor has quit Labour in protest at the party’s ‘pro-gay’ policies.

Cambusnethan councillor Tom Selfridge said his feelings were so great he was willing to give up a guaranteed £15,000 pay-out in May to follow his principles.

Mr Selfridge — who has now quit North Lanarkshire Council completely — said he did not agree with laws which allow same sex couples to adopt and civil partnerships between same sex couples.

And he will now stand for the Scottish Christian Party in the forthcoming Scottish Parliament elections.

Councillor Selfridge said this week: “I stepped down as a councillor principally because I wanted to stand for the Scottish Parliament.

“I resigned from the Labour group because I was not happy with the way things were going at a national level and the policies which were being put through.

”I don’t agree with the legislation which allows same sex couples to adopt or civil partnerships.

“That wasn’t what I subscribed to when I stood as a Labour councillor and the policies need to be tested against public opinion.”

Had councillor Selfridge remained in his seat for another three months, he would have received a guaranteed £15,000 pay-out.

Payments are due to all councillors who have served on local authorities for a number of years and many senior councillors are set to retire in May and receive their lump sum to compensate for years of under-payment.

Councillor Selfridge could have quit the Labour Party but stayed on as an Independent councillor until May and pocketed the £15,000 — but he said his conscience could not allow him to stay on simply to line his pockets.

He said: “I was never in politics for the cash per se.

“There are a lot of good people in local politics and there’s just not enough money in local government to be in it for the cash.

”I stood down because I was elected on a Labour ticket for the term of the council until the next election.

“I didn’t feel I could continue as a Labour councillor and I didn’t feel comfortable staying on as an independent and picking up the £15,000 when I was elected on a Labour ticket.”

Mr Selfridge — a former North Sea diver — now intends to stand for the Scottish Christian Party, formerly known as Operation Christian Vote, which aims to win up to six seats in Holyrood at the Scottish Parliament elections in May.

The party says it aims to fill a “moral vacuum” which deters many Christians from voting.

They are pro-life and have opposed legislation which allows same sex couples to adopt or enter into civil partnerships.

Mr Selfridge, who was a councillor for 12 years, was a prominent member of North Lanarkshire Council’s social work, housing, general purposes and education committees and was also a former vice-convener of some committees.

This week, council leader Jim McCabe has expressed his thanks to the former Cambusnethan councillor.

“I was surprised to hear Tom’s decision to resign and I’m disappointed to lose a councillor of his experience and dedication,” said councillor McCabe.

“Tom has served as a councillor in North Lanarkshire for 12 years and has worked very hard for the people of Cambusnethan.

“I would like to thank him for his commitment to this council, including serving as vice-convener of both the social work and education committees and the work he carried out to represent the council and this area in his role as vice-chair of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

“On behalf of the council, I would like to wish Tom well in the future.”

Councillor Selfridge’s departure means Cambusnethan is left without a councillor, just like neighbouring Newmains following the death of Councillor Robert McKendrick late last year.

The vacancies will not be filled until the local council elections in May although councillor Sam Love will attend the surgeries planned for Cambusnethan over the next few months.