Oxford MEP candidate and Somerville alumna in homophobia row

A candidate for the South East Region in the upcoming European Elections has sparked outrage after making a series of comments which have been condemned as homophobic.

Dr Julia Gasper, who is a former UKIP chair in Oxford, is standing for the English Democrats. She is an alumna of Somerville college, where she received a DPhil. She previously had to resign from UKIP following embarrassing statements about the LGBTQ community, such as her thoughts that some homosexuals prefer sex with animals to humans.

The latest row concerns her comment that, “there are far too many homosexuals in Parliament”, before going on to call for the gay dating app, Grindr, to be banned.

Writing on her blog she said, “They [homosexuals] are only about 1.5% of the population, a proportion that justifies ten MPs in total, yet there seems to be hundreds of them, all in important positions and giving each other favours. That is a violation of democracy”.

Julia is not a fan of the app for ‘gay, bi-sexual and bi-curious guys’

In the same post, she called for the gay dating app, Grindr, to be banned, in the UK. Citing concern about a recent government sex scandal in which a high ranking official allegedly had a “gay romp” organised through Grindr. Gasper said, “I call for the banning of Grindr and similar networks that damage public health”.

When contacted in relation to homophobia allegations, Gasper told the Tab, “There is no such thing as homophobia, just arrogant homosexuals who think they are above all criticism”.

The English Democrats have stood by their decision to field Gasper as a candidate in the upcoming European elections. English Democrats spokesman and MEP candidate Steve Uncles said Gasper was “factually correct”.