Disgraced Fiona Onasanya Among MPs Who Voted Against Improved LGBT Education In Schools

The bill passed with overwhelming cross-party support.
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Fiona Onasanya, a former Labour MP jailed for lying about a speeding offence, was among 21 politicians to vote against a bill to strengthen LGBT education in schools.

A huge majority of MPs – 538 – approved the motion to update the government’s Relationships Education bill for the first time in 19 years on Wednesday.

The legislation, which won cross-party support, was revised to ensure schoolchildren would be taught about all kinds of romantic relationships and family models, as well as equality issues.

If the bill passes through the House of Lords, the curriculum will change to provide primary-age pupils with “age appropriate” relationships education and secondary school students with updated relationships and sex education.

Onasanya justified her decision by saying in a tweet: “If schools are to determine the content of sex education at primary school (Recommended), I do feel that parents must be provided with detail of how schools plan/propose to tailor these programmes and the content.”

If schools are to determine the content of sex education at primary school (Recommended), I do feel that parents must be provided with detail of how schools plan/propose to tailor these programmes and the content.#RSE

— Fiona Onasanya (@FionaOnasanyaMP) March 28, 2019

The Peterborough MP was released from prison in February after serving one month of a three-month sentence for perverting the course of justice.

Onasanya was convicted of lying about a speeding charge after her car was clocked speeding at 41mph in a 30mph zone in 2017.

Following her conviction, she was expelled from the Labour Party, but vowed to stay in parliament as an independent and fight the next election – even going as far as to release an appeal for support from the people of Peterborough on Facebook.

Only one Labour MP – John Spellar – voted against Wednesday’s motion, attracting the ire of some party members.

There is no justification for voting to turn back the clock on LGBT rights & not support inclusive relationship and sex education.

As the only Labour MP to vote against @spellar, we are appalled by your vote.

LGBT people needed your solidarity but you choose the side of bigots. pic.twitter.com/GvK5GiNklg

— LGBT Labour (@LGBTLabour) March 28, 2019

Among the 12 Tory MPs against the motion was Christopher Chope, who has previously attracted heavy criticism for filibustering votes on protecting potential victims of FGM and a bill aimed at making up-skirting a criminal offence.

Shipley MP Philip Davies, who has consistently voted against equality legislation benefitting women and LGBT people, joined his Conservative colleague in the no lobby.

Seven Democratic Unionist Party parliamentarians also voted against the government.

The full list of MPs who refused to support the bill are:

Christopher Chope

Philip Davies

Charlie Elphicke

Marcus Fysh

James Gray

Philip Hollobone

Ranil Jayawardena

Edward Leigh

Julian Lewis

Matthew Offord

Martin Vickers

Gregory Campbell

Nigel Dodds

Jeffrey Donaldson

Paul Girvan

Gavin Robinson

Jim Shannon

Sammy Wilson

Fiona Onasanya

John Spellar

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