Anger as George Galloway says gay relationships aren’t ‘normal’ and kids shouldn’t learn about them

George Galloway in a car.

Controversial MP George Galloway doesn’t want children to be taught about LGBTQ+ people.

The MP for Rochdale told Novara Media founder Aaron Bastani that he believed gay relationships are not “normal” and he would not want them to be taught about in schools.

“Three of my children go to a Catholic school in Scotland, so they have some protections for the moment,” Galloway said. “My other two school children are taught in England things that I don’t want them to be taught.”

He was elected as MP for Rochdale in February, following the death of Labour MP Tony Lloyd.

His political views, particularly on trans people, immigration and Brexit, have been subject to scrutiny over the past few years.

In the discussion with Bastani on Wednesday (1 May), Galloway said he did not want children in the UK to be taught that “some things are normal when their parents don’t believe that they’re normal”.

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When asked to clarify his statement, the former Respect Party and Labour MP added: “Relations, that gay relationships are exactly the same and as normal as a mum, a dad and kids. I want my children to be taught that the normal thing in Britain, in society across the world, is a mother, a father and a family.”

Galloway went on to say he wants to teach his children that LGBTQ+ people exist and “must be treated with respect… but I don’t want my children to be taught that these things are equal because I don’t believe them to be equal”.

He added: “Apart from anything else, the human race would no longer exist if it was normal… it would be the end of humanity.”

He went to say: “If my children are taught that there’s – whatever the current vogue number is – 76 or 97, or whatever the number of purported genders that exist, I don’t want my children taught that.”

Responding on X/Twitter, veteran gay Labour MP Chris Bryan wrote: “A while ago I was heavily criticised for saying that I feel more fearful as a gay man than in years gone by. Gay bashing and prejudice has never stopped but my sense of deep unease has increased significantly recently with moments like this.”

Workers Party of Britain leader Galloway has been called out for his anti-trans statements in the past, including in 2020 after he said during an interview on Russia Today, that, while he is “not against trans people,” he believes gender is a “physiological fact and no one can switch”.