Jeremy Corbyn wants to ‘meet and chat’ with anti-gay boxer Tyson Fury

PinkNews logo with white background and rainbow corners

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says he’d like to meet boxer Tyson Fury – to discuss his anti-gay views.

Heavyweight boxing champ Tyson Fury is up forĀ the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award on Sunday – despite claiming that homosexuality and paedophilia will bring about the apocalypse.

The boxer has simultaneously stood by his comments and denied being homophobic – while alsoĀ claiming thatĀ sex with childrenĀ wasĀ legalised by a fictionalĀ ā€˜Gay Rights Act 1977‘.

Amid the controversy,Ā Labour’s Shadow Leader of the Commons Chris Bryant has already challenged Fury to a fight – but now his party leader Jeremy Corbyn is also getting in on the action.

In an interview with Huffington Post, Mr Corbyn said of Mr Fury’s comments: “I wish he hadn’t made those remarks.

“Iā€™m very unclear as to what he actually believes. Iā€™d like to meet him and have a chat, if heā€™s up for it.”

He added: “I think thereā€™s good in everybody. So letā€™s recognise we live in a world where people are gay, people are straight, people are transsexual, itā€™s OK, itā€™s not the end of the world, people have different faiths, itā€™s OK, itā€™s not the end of the world.

“Iā€™d love to have a chat with him. I donā€™t know how heā€™d be with me, but Iā€™m sure we could find something to talk about.”

However, unlike the Mr Bryant – a former amateur boxer – it doesn’t sound like the Labour leader will be getting into the ring.

The leader continued: “I’m not a great boxer, but I have visited the local boxing club and had a chat with them and they do good stuff with bringing degree of order into kidsā€™ lives, I get on OK with them.”