Rasen MP votes against LGBT education plans

Market Rasen MP Sir Edward Leigh is one of just 21 MPs who have voted against updating sex and relationship education in schools to include teaching pupils about LGBT families.
MP for Market Rasen, Sir Edward Leigh.MP for Market Rasen, Sir Edward Leigh.
MP for Market Rasen, Sir Edward Leigh.

MPs voted by a margin of 538 to 21 in favour of adopting the government’s new LGBT-inclusive sex and relationship education in schools in England.

In a vote in the House of Commons on March 27, Sir Edward, who is a prominent Roman Catholic, failed to back the government’s latest proposal.

He was one of two MPs in Lincolnshire who voted ‘no’, the other being fellow Conservative Martin Vickers who represents the Cleethorpes constituency.

MP for Market Rasen, Sir Edward Leigh.MP for Market Rasen, Sir Edward Leigh.
MP for Market Rasen, Sir Edward Leigh.

The proposal would see children taught about different family models including same-sex couples and parents, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender 
identities.

The changes represent the first time the curriculum has been updated in around 20 years.

If approved it would become mandatory in all secondary schools.

It would also see the introduction of mandatory relationship education at primary school level with a focus on equality and respect.

Sir Edward is a long-time opponent of LGBT rights reforms having voted against the introduction of same-sex marriage in 2013.

And Sir Edward caused a stir on social media back in October last year when he tweeted about the Prime Minister’s announcement regarding legalising mixed sex civil partnerships.

His tweet said: “Mixed-sex civil partnerships to be legalised. Why not for siblings too?”

Twenty of the 21 MPs who voted against the government’s LGBT education proposal are men.

Twelve are members of the Conservative Party, seven are from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), one is a Labour MP, and one is an independent 
MP.

The Market Rasen Mail has contacted Sir Edward Leigh for a comment.

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