Tory candidate Mike Freer: 'Labour canvassers are telling Orthodox Jews I'm gay'

 
Labour claims: Tory Mike Freer said rivals had told Jewish voters he is gay
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Senior Tory Mike Freer today claimed Labour canvassers are telling Orthodox Jewish voters that he is gay in a “desperate” attempt to win a key London marginal seat.

Mr Freer, who is openly gay, told of two incidents where Labour activists in Finchley and Golders Green allegedly raised his sexuality with voters.

“What happened is we got a phone call in the office from a lady who said she had been canvassed by the Labour party, she wanted to know if it’s true if I was gay,” he told PinkNews.

“I said ‘Yes, it’s not a secret’.”

Mr Freer, who is married to his partner of 23 years, Angelo Crolla, said the lady was “incensed” by the alleged Labour behaviour and was planning to support him anyway.

The vice-chairman of the Conservative Party, with a remit for equalities, added: “Later on, some of my Orthodox Jewish councillors were out knocking on doors – and three residents also mentioned that they had had Labour round, and it had been brought up again, and they could no longer support me because I was gay.”

Mr Freer, who is seeking re-election as the local MP after winning the seat in 2010 with a 5,809 majority, said he was “not surprised” by the alleged conduct by Labour canvassers, claiming one of its party’s activists had previously tried to raise the issue of his sexuality.

He added: “If they are having to do this, it just smacks of desperation that they are not cutting through.”

He believes his Labour rival Sarah Sackman may not be aware of the alleged behaviour by her supporters.

Ms Sackman urged him to contact the police if he has “any evidence” to support the allegations.

“That is the proper way to deal with this,” she said.

“Homophobia has no place in our society or in an election. I publicly support equal marriage and LGBT rights.”

Finchley and Golders Green, which has the highest concentration of Jewish voters in London, is a Labour target seat which it could win if the party achieves the higher end of its expectations tomorrow.

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