Tuesday, 12 August 2008

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Hollyoaks star Gerard McCarthy in gay row

Actor slams Irish politician Iris Robinson for homophobic comments

Gerard McCarthy won Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards

Hollyoaks star Gerard McCarthy has spoken out against a Northern Ireland MP after she made anti-gay remarks.

The Belfast-born actor – who plays bisexual cross-dresser Kris Fisher in the Channel 4 soap – has made a call for Democratic Unionist Party MP Iris Robinson to step down after she claimed homosexuality was 'simply unacceptable in a modern democracy' and said it was 'comparable' to child abuse.

‘There should be no place for hateful and extremist opinion,’ he tells The Belfast Telegraph. ‘Moreover, to have a Member of Parliament advocate them must certainly be in violation of the MPs’ Code of Conduct.’

The heterosexual 27-year-old supports Stonewall’s Education For All anti-bullying programme and claims the comments won’t help children struggling with their sexuality.

‘An estimated 2,725 young people call ChildLine each year because they are the victims of homophobic bullying and violence,’ he says. ‘Of these, 60% are children between the ages of 12 and 15.’

The DUP defended Mrs Robinson’s comments.

‘The DUP is committed to equality and fairness for all of our people,’ a spokesman says. ‘Mrs Robinson was expressing her religious convictions.’