THE SNP’s Hannah Bardell has reported a Unionist lord to the police after he called her a “queer”.
Lord Ken Maginnis made the remark after the Livingston MP criticised him for verbally abusing Parliamentary security staff.
The independent Ulster Unionist politician had forgotten his security pass and had exploded at a staff member, describing them as “crooked”.
READ MORE: SNP MP Hannah Bardell accuses peer of abusing security staff
Bardell witnessed the incident and raised in the Commons.
He told the Huffington Post news website: “With no disrespect, I have had a lot of experience before politics.
“I was a major for 12 years in the Ulster Defence Regiment in Northern Ireland – I survived 10 assassination attempts – so I’m not altogether a softie, if you know what I mean by that.
“Queers like Ms Bardell don’t particularly annoy me. OK, she’s got her cheap publicity out of it.”
Speaking during business questions, Bardell told MPs: “I’m sorry to say that the member from the other place [the House of Lords] who I have complained about has now launched a homophobic attack on me in the press.
“This will be reported to the police and I know that I and others consider this to be a hate crime.”
Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg told MPs: “The attack on the honourable lady was unutterably disgraceful and she is clearly owed an apology by the noble lord for what he said about her.
“I think everybody who heard about that was shocked by the comments that he is reported to have made and has not denied.
READ MORE: Jacob Rees-Mogg announces extra month's holiday for MPs
“I think they are really appalling, and I know we are not allowed to criticise members of the other house, the other place, except on a specific motion, but I think under these circumstances we are allowed to stretch the rules.”
The Lord Speaker, Lord Fowler, said such language has “no place in Parliament”.
He added: “I am deeply concerned by recent reports of a member of the House of Lords directing offensive language towards parliamentary security staff and a Member of Parliament.
“The reported behaviour and use of such language is totally unacceptable and has no place in Parliament.
“We are working hard to build an inclusive and respectful environment, and behaviour such as this totally undermines our collective efforts.
“Security on the parliamentary estate is everyone’s responsibility. Any disregard for security rules is against the interests of us all.
“Our security staff do a difficult job with the utmost professionalism and deserve support from all members.”
Lord Maginnis previously referred to gay marriage as “deviant”.
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