THEGAYUK

Category: News

  • Did you know that China has banned depictions of gay people on TV?

    Did you know that China has banned depictions of gay people on TV?

    The world’s most populated country has, since 2016, banned depictions of gay people on Chinese TV.

    Ben Mitchell And Paul Coker kiss
    Scenes like this kiss in EastEnders between two men would be banned in China. CREDIT: (C) BBC Kieron McCarron

    China has a raft of strict regulations on what its people can see, download and transmit. Even porn is forbidden in the country and its citizens have been offered money, lots of it, for turning in to the authorities those who are suspected of viewing or hosting the content.

    However, even darker and more problematic is that the depiction of gay people is forbidden and the language used in that enforcement is incredibly worrying. In fact the ruling saying that content that ‘exaggerates dark side of society’ is banned. This includes homosexuality, but also adultery, earrings on males and even, yes, cleavage.

    In fact, it was reported that an earring was blurred on a reality TV show because the contestant, Jing Boran, is male.

    “Vulgar and Immoral”

    Even the relationship and first gay kiss in Star Trek between Lt. Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) and Chief Medical Officer Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) would be banned in China.

    The Chinese government’s ban is part of a crackdown on “vulgar, immoral and unhealthy content” and was first reported in 2016 and is nothing more than a government-backed, systematic cleansing of gay people from society.

    The government outlines that TV shows shall not “show abnormal sexual relationships and behaviours, such as incest, same-sex relationships, sexual perversion, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual violence, and so on.”

    This ban, according to the Guardian includes smoking, drinking, adultery, sexually suggestive clothing, even reincarnation.

    This clampdown on content has increased since Xi Jinping, China’s president, came into power in 2012.

    This means that content readily available in many countries across the globe that incorporate same-sex relationships would be forbidden. In fact, streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and the BBC’s iPlayer are not available to view in China.

    At a time when relationships that stray away from the normative, like the same-sex relationship in Netflix’s Star Trek Discovery or even a same-sex kiss in EastEnders may never actually be seen in China.

    In April 2018, Sina Weibo, China’s largest social network said it would remove “homosexual” content from its platform. Sina Weibo said in a statement that it had begun a “clean-up campaign” to remove “illegal” content, including “manga and videos with pornographic implications, promoting violence or (related to) homosexuality”.

    Weibo reversed its ban, but only after a huge backlash against the platform.

     

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  • Nine men jailed following an unprovoked, homophobic assault on London’s streets

    Nine men jailed following an unprovoked, homophobic assault on London’s streets

    A group of men who launched an unprovoked attack, which resulted in a number of people being sprayed with a noxious substance, have been sentenced.

    Three victims were left with acid burns to their bodies close to a popular gay venue in Hackney, in May 2018. Today, nine men have been sentenced to lengthy spells in prison for their parts in the attack.

    Huseyin Onel, 24 (30.03.94) of no fixed abode, but from the Hackney area, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for applying a noxious substance causing grievous bodily harm (GBH), plus an additional three years on extended licence. Onel was sentenced to nine years each for six counts of casting a noxious substance and three years for violent disorder to run concurrently.

    Mehmet Tekagac, 30 (03.09.88) of Kenworthy Road, E9 was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in prison for applying a noxious substance causing GBH, plus an additional three years on extended licence. To run concurrently, Tekagac was sentenced to eight years for robbery and three years for violent disorder.

    Onur Ardic, 27 (02.11.91) of Frampton Park Road, E9 was sentenced to 14 years in prison for applying a noxious substance causing GBH plus three years on extended licence. He was also sentenced to three years for violent disorder to run concurrently.

    Guven Ulas, 20 (21.12.98) of Pultney Street, N1, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for violent disorder.

    Mustafa Kiziltan, 30 (10.09.88) of no fixed abode, but from the Hackney area, was sentenced to a total of three years months in prison – 27 months for violent disorder and nine months for dangerous driving. He was also sentenced to three months for failing to stop, this will run concurrently.

    Serkan Kiziltan, 22 (03.11.96) of Well Street, E9, was sentenced to 18 months for violent disorder.

    Umit Kaygisiz, 21 (26.12.97) of Orsman Road, N1, was sentenced to a total of 28 months in prison for violent disorder and attempting to convey a prohibited item into prison (namely a mobile phone).

    Yasam Erdogan, 24 (24.11.94) of Nightingale Road, N1, was sentenced to 18 months for violent disorder, suspended for two years.

    Turgut Adakan, 23 (20.06.95) of Roman Road, E6, was sentenced to 18 months for violent disorder, suspended for two years.

    All nine were sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday, 17 January.

    The group launched a ferocious attack

    The incident unfolded at approximately 05:15hrs on 5 May 2018, when a verbal altercation began between an unidentified male and Onur Ardic who was part a group of nine men who were sitting in cars on Alvington Crescent in Hackney.

    The unidentified male went to speak to Ardic and was quickly surrounded by the group before Mustafa Kiziltan punched him. En masse, the group launched a ferocious attack, punching and kicking the male for a sustained period.

    A group of people who had left a nearby club attempted to intervene to stop the attack with one of them – a man in his 20s – filming the assault.

    The suspect group took exception to this and attacked the man, kicking him to the ground and attempting to steal his phone. A number of this victim’s group went to their friend’s aid and a large brawl erupted.

    During this, Huseyin Onel – a member of the suspect group – entered one of the cars and was seen to exit a couple of seconds later carrying a white bottle. He used this bottle to spray a noxious substance, in the faces of a number of people.

    On realising the escalation of events, a number of the victim’s group began to run from the scene but Onel calmly targeted them, spraying liquid at their faces as they attempted to flee.

    Other members of the group – Mehmet Tekagac and Onur Ardic – were also involved in the corrosive substance attack on one of the group.

    Meanwhile, the vicious assault continued on the victim who had filmed the initial assault and only ended when a bag containing his phone had been ripped from him.

    He was left with a fractured eye socket and corrosive burns to his eye, with it initially believed his injuries would be life changing, but his recovery was described by doctors as ‘miraculous’.

    “They Run Hackney”

    The suspects then got into three cars and drove from the scene, shouting homophobic comments at members of the group, and that they ‘run Hackney’.

    Officers from Hackney, working alongside a crime scene examiner (CSE) attended the scene and began to collate evidence and secure CCTV that captured the vast majority of the attacks.

    Officers reviewed the footage and were able to identify the majority of the suspects. They were assisted by the CSE and Met’s Fingerprint Bureau, who were able to confirm which suspects had been holding the white bottle containing the noxious substance, and who had been attacking the unknown victim, which helped strengthen the case that secured these convictions.

    Over a four-month period, all nine suspects were identified, arrested and charged.

    “Truly shocking”

    Detective Constable David Leitner, of the Central East Command Unit, led the investigation. He said: “Nine violent and dangerous men have been removed from London’s streets today and will now spend a lengthy time locked up in prison.

    “The level of violence used in this attack, coupled with the speed that this incident escalated, are truly shocking.

    “A group of people who were enjoying themselves at the end of a night out were subjected to a sustained and relentless wave of violence including the use of a corrosive substance – because they acted as good Samaritans to help a male being subjected to a vicious assault.

    “The original victim who was attacked by the group has never been traced but I hope he, and all those who were set upon by this violent group of individuals, will take some comfort from the fact that this group has been convicted.”

    At Wood Green Crown Court on 21 November 2018, three of the group were found guilty as follows:

    Huseyin Onel was found guilty of eight counts of applying a corrosive fluid with intent and violent disorder.

    Mehmet Tekagac was found guilty of applying a corrosive fluid with intent and robbery. He had earlier pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

    Onur Ardic was found guilty of applying a corrosive substance with intent. He had earlier pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

    The six other men earlier pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court to violent disorder.

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  • Gay man stabbed to death in Washington DC

    Gay man stabbed to death in Washington DC

    A 36-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly by a man he knew.

    geralt / Pixabay

    A retail executive, Vongell Lugo, 36, has been killed after being stabbed to death in his apartment in Washington DC, USA allegedly by a man that was known to him and may have been an “intimate partner”. Police responded to an emergency call at 4.15 AM on Sunday 6th January 2019.

    This is the second report of a domestic violence-related death in the USA in the last month.

    A twenty-six-year-old man, Collin J. Potter, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with Lugo’s death. NBC News says that he was found by the police, “standing over a man who had been stabbed to death”.

    The Anti-Violence Project in New York reports that he was “stabbed to death in his home by his partner, U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Collin J. Potter”.

    Lugo was reportedly stabbed more than 40 times to his neck, upper chest and abdomen, according to the New York Post.

    According to the AVP, Lugo was a successful retail exec, who was described as a “kind soul, the centre of the party, and a beacon of light that made an impact on everyone he came into contact with”.

    Lugo immigrated to the USA in 1994 and went to the University of Maryland, completing a BA in Sociology in 2010.

  • “Common law husband” shoots and kills partner with a crossbow

    A man in his 50s was killed in a domestic-violence related homicide.

    John Likeness was killed on December 30th 2018 after an alleged domestic violence incident. Likeness who was in his early fifties lived in Menomonie, Wisconsin and was allegedly shot in the chest with a crossbow and died from his injury.

    The Anti-Violence Project reports that his alleged killer was Likeness’ “common law husband”, although some reports are calling him a “roommate” Richard W Seehaver took the shot before slitting his throat with a butcher’s knife to “put him out of his misery” according to the Star Tribune.

    Seehaver is currently in custody and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, domestic abuse being a repeat criminal offender and illegal use of a dangerous weapon according to the Anti-Violence Project.

    His bond has been set at $200,000 – $500,000 and is due back in court on the 28th Feb 2019.

    John Likeness was a veteran, who served his country for 10 years until 1993 after becoming disabled while in the military.

    His niece, Carrie Likeness said, “John was proud to have served our country and although a disabled veteran, he spent this last year embracing independence while exploring the U.S. by railway,”

     

     

  • Jacob Rees-Mogg to host a new show on LBC

    LBC and Jacob Rees-Mogg have inked a deal to see the EU sceptic and anti-gay rights MP host a regular hour-long show on the station.

    The MP for North East Somerset, Jacob Rees-Mogg is to join the LBC roster list for a weekly show, on Friday evenings at 6 PM. LBC have signed the Tory MP after the apparent success of his half-hour phone in on Nick Ferrari‘s breakfast show.

    Speaking to LBC, the MP, who has voted against every piece of legislation which affects the rights of LGBT+ people in the UK, said,

    “To present a weekly show on LBC at such a crucial time for our nation is an unmissable opportunity for me,

    “Through the phone-ins with Nick Ferrari and the programmes I have already presented, I have thoroughly enjoyed conversing directly with LBC’s listeners.

    “Their honesty, insight and wisdom have challenged and inspired me. While I will be behind the microphone, they will take centre stage.

    “With Brexit at the top of the agenda and opinions running high, I look forward to finding out what the public really thinks over the next couple of months and to continuing the national debate on LBC.”

    Representation?

    Rees-Mogg will be joining a roster of presenters that also includes, Nigel Farage. The station which broadcasts across the UK currently has just one regular female presenter for a daily show, Shelaigh Forgarty and has just one BAME presenter in Maajid Nawaz.

    Previously LBC contracted Katie Hopkins to host a show on the station, but she left in 2017. After she left, Owen Jones fronted a Saturday morning slot for a limited period.

    James Rea, LBC’s managing editor, said, “With the country in a state of political confusion, Jacob Rees-Mogg joins the LBC line-up during an extraordinary period.

    “An outspoken voice on Brexit, he will bring his inside knowledge and vast experience in politics to Friday evenings on LBC, with our 2.1 million weekly listeners across the UK, as always, in the driving seat of the conversation.”

  • A man is ill after injecting SEMEN into his arm for 18 months

    A man is ill after injecting SEMEN into his arm for 18 months

    Erm… Nope

    Sperm
    CREDIT: TheGayUK

    Now we’re not doctors but, surely injecting semen into any part of your body deserves a conversation that starts with “why” and ends in “nope”.

    An unnamed, 33-year-old man in Ireland is ill after injecting himself with his own semen for 18 months in order to treat his bad back. He had been using a hypodermic needle that he had bought online, according to reports.

    (C) Metro

    The patient has been left with cellulitis in his arm, after injecting himself once a month in a bid to rid himself of back pain.

    He went to a hospital due to his back pain and not the cellulitis which had developed in his arm. He was asked by medical staff what the red rash was on his arm when they were told the somewhat unorthodox medicine.

    Metro has reported that Dr Lisa Dunne reported the mishap in the Irish Medical Journal, writing, that this was the first ever case of‘semen injection for use as a medical treatment’ and apparently there have never been any tests to find out what the effects of injecting semen into veins or muscles.

    The man apparently then discharged himself from the hospital, before doctors had an opportunity to remove the bodily fluid.

  • Historical Homos aims to “make history gay again”by celebrating historic queer icons

    Historical Homos aims to “make history gay again”by celebrating historic queer icons

    Historical Homos, a London-based Instagram blog and publication dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ history, has one simple mission: to “Make History Gay Again”.

    Developed by Sebastian and Lucy Hendra, a brother-sister creative team based between NYC and London, Historical Homos aims to make the legacy of history’s greatest LGBTQ+ figures more visible in popular culture.

    Sebastian, a writer and amateur historian, and Lucy, a graphic designer, started Historical Homos in 2017 when they noticed a lack of awareness among their generation about significant LGBT figures of the past: “It’s weird. We have this vibrant community, known for its camp and creativity; and then there’s all this history. But there’s nothing connecting them. There’s very little LGBTQ+ history that speaks our language.”

    “Our audience is the RuPaul generation”, they say, “the scores of people – gay, straight, bi, queer, questioning – who have grown up with LGBTQ+ subcultures and who want to participate in them.”

    Lucy’s artwork is plastered in bold graphics and pop-art collage, while Sebastian’s acid pen delivers tell-all stories about the lives and contributions of history’s great ‘YesterQueers,’ from popes and monarchs to writers, artists, scientists, and adventurers – all with an eye to the parallels, echoes, and inevitable clashes with our contemporary culture.

    Drawing on the work of academics in various Queer Studies disciplines, Historical Homos aims to promote a global picture of the LGBTQ+ community’s past and their often starring roles in human civilisation.

    They cast a wide net through time and space to connect the disparate strands of this rich heritage, threading together hundreds of remarkable names – some famous, some unexpected, some forgotten – through detailed research, engaging wit, and vibrant illustration.

    “It’s a bit like Horrible Histories, but for grownups. And gayer.”

    Historical Homos began as an Instagram blog, where it has grown a loyal following of 8K+ followers. In London, where Sebastian and Lucy currently live, they also host live events, from pop-up galleries to (self-described) “sloppier” Halloween parties.

    The pair say,

    “Our followers like us because we help them see a legacy that is written out of textbooks, legislated out of schools, and generally forgotten (or purposely avoided) in most heteronormative narratives of history. But queers have been around forever.

    “Everyone knows that. We’ve just got to make more noise about it.”

    In November 2018, the pair self-published an initial volume, Historical Homos Volume One, which offers readers 7 humorous profiles of famous LGBTQ+ figures, richly illustrated in a 70-page, high-gloss book. This first book covers well-known names — like Emperor Hadrian of Rome and Virginia Woolf — as well as lesser-known gems like the Chevalier D’Éon, a cross-dressing, genderqueer French spy from the 18th century.

    HH Vol One is meant to serve as a teaser of a more ambitious series to come, which will cover the history of the world through the eyes of its most compelling Historical Homos. The 10-part series will begin development in February 2019 with the launch of a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.

    With HH Vol One, Sebastian and Lucy wish to create a physical, engaging reminder that the narrative of queer history extends back to the earliest days of human history, from ancient Rome and 17th century Sweden to Weimar Berlin and Stonewall-era New York. They hope to dispel the all-too-common perception, frequently perpetuated in more academic treatments of the subject, that the histories of homosexuality and queer identities begin with the invention of the term “homosexuality” in the 19th century.

    “Queer lives — valid, queer lives — have always existed in history, from Hadrian’s Wall to Stonewall,” they say. “Nobody gets to tell us different.”

    That said, the pair acknowledges their debt to the work of academics in the field: “We get to celebrate everyone in queer history, from the Ice Age to the 21st century, precisely because we’re not encumbered by the need to conform to academic trends and theories. But we couldn’t produce anything without the libraries of research out there that have uncovered such rich histories.”

    The next volume in the Historical Homos series will cover queers at the dawn of civilisation, ‘from Paleo-Poofs and Neolithic-Nancies down to the considerably more Homophobic Hebrews.’

    It will be published in November 2019.

  • Grindr has effectively closed its online magazine Into

    Grindr has effectively closed its online magazine Into

    The entire editorial team has been laid off

    CREDIT: Ryazan / BIGSTOCK

    Grindr‘s digital magazine, Into, which was launched in 2017, has been effectively shuttered with all its editorial staff, contributors and social media workers laid off as the Chinese-owned dating app company looks to focus on other areas, including “video”.

    Scott Chen, who was last month lambasted for saying that he believed that marriage was “a holy matrimony between a man and a woman” (a statement which he was forced to clarify) wrote to the outlet’s team to say the company was going to focus its efforts on video.

    He announced the layoffs in an email, which Out have published.

    He wrote,

    “Team,

    As with any growing business, we have to continually evaluate what is best for Grindr. After a thoughtful and collaborative process, we decided to modify INTO’s content mix to rely more heavily on video. This decision was driven by the high user engagement and development we see through channels such as video and YouTube.

    This was a difficult decision, but with this new strategic focus, several INTO employees will be leaving the company. Our leadership is proud of the work INTO has done and know that it has served an important role in our business and overall mission.

    We want to thank our INTO colleagues for their contributions to Grindr and wish them well. In the meantime, we ask that we all stay focused on fulfilling our important mission together and serving the LGBTQ+ community.

    In the coming weeks, we will be sharing our 2019 goals and beginning the process to redefine our mission,vision, and values as an organization.

    Best,
    Scott”

    According to available stats from SimilarWeb, IntoMore.com receives over 7.5 million unique readers a month, bigger than all of its main competitors.

    Into‘s staff replied with a statement, which read,

    “During our nearly two years, we created incredible, award-winning content for and about the LGBTQ community worldwide,

    “We have been awarded with a GLAAD nomination and honored by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA); we were also given a special award from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF). We told stories of transgender prisoners forced to endure nightmarish treatment behind bars, LGBTQ asylum seekers looking for hope and refuge in the United States, and drag queens fighting for space and community in small town Tennessee.

    “We shared the hopes and joys of the LGBTQ community, our successes and setbacks, and our triumphs and heartaches during a vulnerable political moment. We aimed to give a voice to those who need one now more than ever, a platform for them to see themselves represented wholly.”

  • Gay Icon Carol Channing dies, 97

    One of the last icons of Hollywood’s Golden Era, Carol Channing has died at the age of 97.

    As well as being a legend of some of Hollywood’s most glamorous years, the late Carol Channing was also celebrated as a gay icon.

    She will be remembered for groundbreaking roles like the money-obsessed Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and the matchmaking Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!

    Embed from Getty Images

    In her lifetime, Carol won three Tony awards and was Oscar-nominated in 1967 for the film Thoroughly Modern Millie.

    She was always a vibrant and vocal ally to the gay community and even once visited Fire Island in the USA to perform in front of 500 gay fans at the Ice Palace disco.

    Publicist B. Harlan Boll confirmed her death to USA TODAY, saying that the actor died of natural causes after suffering two strokes last year.

    Embed from Getty Images

    Embed from Getty Images

    Embed from Getty Images

    “It is with extreme heartache, that I have to announce the passing of an original industry pioneer, legend and icon: Miss Carol Channing,

    “I admired her before I met her, and have loved her since the day she stepped … or fell rather … into my life. It is so very hard to see the final curtain lower on a woman who has been a daily part of my life for more than a third of it. We supported each other, cried with each other, argued with each other, but always ended up laughing with each other.”

    Boll added, “Saying good-bye is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, but I know that when I feel those uncontrollable urges to laugh at everything and/or nothing at all, it will be because she is with me, tickling my funny bone.”

     

  • Heartbreaking stories emerge from the “gay purge” in Chechnya

    Heartbreaking stories emerge from the “gay purge” in Chechnya

    A new “gay purge” is reportedly underway in Chechnya, as new stories emerge of the horrid and violence levied against LGBT+ people in the region.

    Working as slaves, daily beatings and torture so horrid that it cannot be shared are some of the accusations levied against Chechyna‘s authorities as reports of a new “gay purge” circulate on social media.

    Political scientist, Rémy Bonny says he has been in contact with two men who claim that Chechen authorities have started to detain and torture homosexuals again in 2018.

    The previous purge in 2017 was widely reported. There were horrific details of gay men being detained, tortured and even killed, in the region after the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov has said that he wanted to eliminate gay men from the region by the start of Ramadan.

    Up to a hundred men, suspected of being gay were held, against their wills, in what some media outlets called “concentration camps”.

    Speaking with THEGAYUK.com Rémy Bonny said that he was in contact with two survivors who are now in the EU who he says provided “detailed and credible intelligence” about the many human rights violations against the LGBT+ community in Chechnya.

    Tortured by his relative

    The first witness, who has not been named, is now seeking refuge in Belgium, says that he was tortured by his relative, who works for the Chechen police and only escape after paying a huge amount of money.

    He claims that he was left in his cold cell with just a t-shirt and jeans and fed only bread and water.

    He was caught after been framed by friends speaking to Bonny the victim said, “There was a video in which I spoke in the apartment of a friend. I was framed by guys from my city that I have known almost all my life (this video was made in May of 2018). I didn’t even know that I was being shot. And they took me only in July .. in this video, I said that I don’t like this power and we do not have the freedom to choose .. but the topic was also ‘my friend’”.

    Detained for 55 days

    The second witness provided intel about his former boyfriend, who still lives in Chechnya. The boyfriend was detained, according to Bonny, but because there was no real evidence he was held as a suspected drug-user.

    He was held at a facility in Grozny run by Adam Delimkhanov, who is a family member of Ramzan Kadyrov.

    The victim says he was bullied on a daily basis and taken to work every morning in a van, without pay, “as slaves – for free”.

    The victim was able to overhear guard’s conversations that other gay people were being held at the centre.

    You can follow Rémy Bonny on Twitter and see more details on his website.

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  • Former MP Mark Oaten: I can finally admit to myself, I’m Gay

    The former Liberal Democrat MP Mark Oaten has finally admitted to himself for the first time that he is gay – 13 years after a sex scandal destroyed his political career.

    Mark Oaten was exposed by the now defunct Sunday newspaper News Of The World in 2006 after it emerged he’d been having group encounters with male sex workers. At the time he was a married father, and a potential candidate for the Liberal Democrat leadership.

    Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Emma Barnett, he said he is now living with a male partner.

    Embed from Getty Images

    He also revealed he has recently given up his Liberal Democrat membership, calling the party’s situation “a tragedy” and saying leader Vince Cable had “failed”.

    Embed from Getty Images

    And he says “I can’t believe I’m saying this”, but he won’t rule out becoming an MP again in the future.

    On his sexuality, Mr Oaten said: “I’m gay now and I’m comfortable with being gay and I’m clear about my sexuality.

    “I haven’t actually said it until now in an interview. It’s something which is difficult for me to say. It still feels difficult for me to say, but increasingly I’m comfortable and happy about that, and feel in a comfortable place to say that to you today. But it’s been a long journey to get me to that point. I clearly had sexual doubts earlier on in my life, but I was very, very happily married and really, really enjoyed being a dad and married as well.

    “It’s a real contradiction. You know I think there are a lot of people out there who have this contradiction….And for people listening to this, if they are in that situation I would say, address it sooner rather than later if you can, because I’m so much happier now.”

    Mr Oaten said his family and friends had been very supportive.

    “It’s something my friends have known about now, my girls know about, and my mum – those key people – but it’s only been in the last year, year-and-a-half. I’ve got a partner, we live together. I have a group of great gay friends. I can be who I am now. I just wish I’d done it earlier.”

    Mr Oaten said the working environment at Westminster which drove him to seek out sex workers was “a horrid culture, and I believe it’s still the same.”

    He said: “You are in an environment where you can buy drink really cheap, you are in an environment where you are away from home and your family, and you are in this kind of bubble where you are able to get away with anything you want. You are conscious and aware of colleagues having affairs. It is a climate where people call you ‘Sir’. I would almost describe Westminster as this seedy, bullying men’s club.”

    On the current state of the Liberal Democrat party, Mr Oaten said it’s time for Vince Cable to step aside: “He’s failed and the party’s failed. I think Jo Swinson is good and great. I think frankly, Vince, it’s time for you to step down and let somebody new come through.

    “But my problem is with the structure of the political parties at the moment. I don’t think that Jo or anybody else can revive politics from the establishment. It needs now to be revived from the non-establishment, and post Brexit it’s got to happen. And that excites me, that interests me.”

    When asked by Emma Barnett if he could see himself becoming an MP again, if a new party came along, Mr Oaten said:

    “I honestly can’t believe I’m saying this, because I actually said I would never ever stand for anything again … but I don’t know, I’m not sure… It’s still part of me in the past. I’ve buried it for 10 years. I don’t feel comfortable with what’s going on in politics at the moment. If something and fresh came along in the future, who knows?”

    The full interview with Mark Oaten will broadcast on The Emma Barnett Show on BBC Radio 5 Live on Monday 14 January 2019 from 10am.