UKIP’s LGBT officials resign in protest after anti-gay ‘Gaystapo’ campaigner named Families chief

The UK Independence Party’s few remaining LGBT supporters are resigning in protest – after the party appointed a Families and Children spokesperson who calls LGBT activists the ‘Gaystapo’ and claims gay parents damage children.

Alan Craig was appointed this week to serve as the troubled UK Independence Party’s Families and Children spokesman by interim leader Gerard Batten, despite a a long history of extreme views on LGBT rights and criticism of gay parenting.

In a post on his ‘Alan’s Angle’ blog in 2016, Mr Craig wrote: “Following Brexit… I’d like to see the gay marriage debate reopened.

“There is now credible peer-reviewed evidence that same-sex parenting is damaging to children compared with that of still-married heterosexual biological parents.”

Alan Craig

Mr Craig added: “In the light of this and for the sake of our children, I personally reckon we should resurrect the gay marriage debate and consider repealing the same sex marriage Act.”

After PinkNews reported his appointment, the party has faced mass resignations from LGBT* in UKIP – a small group of activists who have long campaigned for the party to take a more tolerant stance on LGBT rights.

The group’s chair Flo Lewis and deputy Dan Channing both announced they would be quitting.

Mr Channing said on Twitter: “I can confirm that [Flo Lewis] is resigning from the party over the appointment of and comments made by Alan Craig. I wish to announce that I as Flo’s Deputy will also be resigning for the same reasons.”

A woman walks past a UK Independence Party logo (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

Ms Lewis said that the party had systemically failed to address her concerns for some time.