Jill Knight's lies
1998
The following article from 'In the Pink' March 1998 discusses Jill Knight's role in pushing forward the proposed Clause 28.
LIES, DAMN LIES & DAME JILL'S LIES
Dame Jill Knight, Tory MP for Edgbaston, self-appointed guardian of the nation's morals, and originator of the anti-gay Clause 28 of the Local Government Bill has been telling porky pies. She wrote to Tribune (the paper of the Tribune group of the Labour Party) three weeks ago to protest against comments made about her by Robin Cook.
"I do not mind political attacks, but at least they should be straight and accurate, not based on un-truths," Dame Jill wrote.
Clive Soley has drawn my attention to her comments on December 8 last year.
Interviewed on BBC Radio's "Today" programme, along with Neil Fletcher, leader of the Inner London Education Authority, Dame Jill was asked by Brian Redhead what evidence she had seen that "schools are actually promoting homosexuality". She claimed to have seen "a great deal of evidence about this. . .and it really was deeply shocking."
In particular she cited the book, "Jenny lives with Eric and Martin". Neil Fletcher pointed out that this appeared in an exhaustive booklist for teachers, but had never been used in any classroom. He challenged Dame Jill to provide evidence that it had. "Of course, of course, there's lots of evidence", she replied. But pressed by Mr Redhead to name a school which had distributed the book to children, she claimed that she had not had time to get her files before the programme, and could therefore not oblige -"but my word, we've got it all right", she said. Labour MPs, including Clive Soley and Chris Smith, refused to let the matter of this mythical evidence drop. Dame Jill sent out a circular, saying: 'I did not, on the radio or anywhere else, offer to name the schools where the promotion of homosexuality was going on, just local authorities".
Clive Soley has sent her a copy of the transcript of the BBC interview, but Dame Jill will not withdraw her allegation.
In a letter to Dame Jill on February 11, Clive Soley charged that "this was not a casual mistake on your part, but a deliberate and dishonest action, which had the effect of whipping up hatred and hysteria against homosexuals. This makes it a very evil act."
So name the schools, Dame Jill − or Clause 28 will be forever branded as the law based on your lie.
John Street. Reprinted by kind Permission of "Tribune".
Contributed by: In The Pink, 21