DUP Health Minister Jim Wells under pressure after linking child abuse and gay relationships

A PETITION to force the sacking of DUP Health Minister Jim Wells after comments he made at a Westminster election hustings in South Down on Thursday night in which he linked child abuse and gay relationships has been launched online under the title Sack Health Minister Jim Wells immediately – Homophobia is never justified!

Jim Wells's comments met with an angry response from many audience members and led to calls for his resignation.

Police are now investigating his comments.

Chris Hazzard, Sinn Féin's Westminster candidate for the constituency who was at the debate, said the comments “call into question Mr Wells's responsibility and ability to run a health service for all”.

“Unfortunately, this is only the latest in a long line of attacks on the LGBT community by the DUP.

“I am calling on his party leader, Peter Robinson, to make it clear where he stands on Mr Wells's views.”

Political commentator Owen Jones told the BBC's Stephen Nolan that the comments were “quite frightening from a party with a clear track record of homophobic bigotry”.

The Health Minister has since apologised and DUP leader and First Minister Peter Robinson said he should be “given a break”, given that his wife is seriously ill in hospital and this allegedly affected what he had said.

But as this is the latest in a series of homophobic statements from DUP leadership figures, an online petition has been launched with the social media hashtag #GiveWellsTheWelly.

The petition says:

“Health Minister Jim Wells MLA of the DUP has disgustingly suggested that children raised by same-sex parents are more likely to be 'abused and neglected'. It is quite clear that the DUP will not discipline Mr Wells and his apology is nothing more than an exercise to save his own position. Given the long history of homophobia within the DUP, including Jeffrey Donaldson's recent comparison of the gay community with the Shankill Butchers, it's clear that his apology is disingenuous.

“How is Mr Wells supposed to be a Health Minister for everyone when he holds such views? How is he supposed to be a Health Minister for all when he won't allow gay or bisexual men to donate blood?

“Peter Robinson should immediately sack Jim Wells as Health Minister – he must show that this sort of homophobic rhetoric is unacceptable and deeply hurtful and damaging to our LGBT+ friends and family.

“Enough is enough.”