Northern Irish peer Lord Maginnis, who once compared homosexuality to bestiality, faces 18-month BAN from the House of Lords for bullying gay MPs and abusing a parliamentary security guard
A Northern Irish peer is facing an 18-month ban from the House of Lords for a campaign of bulling and homophobic abuse of MPs and staff.
An official probe into independent Ulster Unionist peer Lord Maginnis of Drumglass recommended he be booted out for at least a year-and-a-half for his toxic behaviour.
The recommendation from the Lords Conduct Committee follows an investigation into his treatment of a parliamentary security officer and MPs Hannah Bardell, Luke Pollard and Toby Perkins.
He was found to have used ”homophobic and derogatory language’ about gay MPs Ms Bardell and Mr Pollard.
Lord Maginnis has previously made controversial comments about homosexuality. In 2012 he used a BBC interview to compare it to bestiality, for which he was stripped of the Ulster Unionist whip.
It its report, released today, the committee recommended the ban should only be lifted if the peer completes ‘behaviour change training’ and ‘is able to demonstrate a clear understanding of how his behaviour impacts on other people in the Parliamentary community’.
It doubled the initial recommendation of a nine-month ban by Commissioner for Standards Lucy Scott-Moncrief.
An official probe into independent Ulster Unionist peer Lord Maginnis of Drumglass recommended he be booted out for at least a year-and-a-half for his toxic behaviour
Lord Maginnis (left, in 2001 in Downing Street) has previously made controversial comments about homosexuality. In 2012 he used a BBC interview to compare it to bestiality, for which he was stripped of the Ulster Unionist whip.
Lord Maginnis was investigated after being ‘verbally abusive’ to security officer Christian Bombolo when asked to show his parliamentary pass in January.
Ms Bardell witnessed the incident with Mr Bombolo and complained that when she attempted to intervene she was treated ‘rudely and aggressively by Lord Maginnis, who later used ‘homophobic and derogatory language about her’ in comments to the media.
Lord Maginnis was also investigated for using homophobic language in relation to Mr Pollard in February 2020.
Peers will have to approve the report before the suspension comes into force.