Ulster Unionist councillor backs hoteliers in gay discrimination case

Adrian Watson says religious beliefs of B&B owners ordered to pay compensation to gay couple refused double room 'were not acknowledged'

An Ulster Unionist councillor whom the Tories refused to back as their joint candidate in the general election because of his views on homosexuality today voiced support for the B&B owners who acted unlawfully in refusing to allow a gay couple to share a double bed.

Civil partners Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy won a landmark case against Peter and Hazelmary Bull yesterday after a judge decided they had been denied their rights when refused a room.

Councillor Adrian Watson who was accused of homophobia in 2006 after he said he would feel uncomfortable having gay couples in his B&B said he "respected" the Bulls.

He added that UK laws focused on sexuality and did not take people's religious beliefs into account.

"In this particular case, I know the couple have very strong Christian views and those have to be respected," he added.

"I would sympathise with them. But often legal opinion in this country fails to acknowledge religious views and they are secondary to other rights."

The former mayor of Antrim said he would not discriminate against anyone who wished to stay at his guesthouse and would never refuse a gay or lesbian couple.

He had been in the running for being nomination as the joint Ulster Unionist-Conservative candidate for the South Antrim parliamentary constituency.

But after the Guardian revealed that the councillor had said he would refuse to allow gay couples to stay at his family-run B&B, the Conservatives withdrew their support for him.


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