Ken Maginnis: Peer was recorded calling MP 'queer'

A recording of Lord Maginnis using the term "queer" to describe Scottish National Party MP Hannah Bardell has been released by the Huffington Post.

Lord Maginnis had earlier denied that he had used the term.

But the Huffington Post journalist who spoke to the peer on Wednesday has now tweeted an audio recording of his interview with Lord Maginnis.

The MP called the remarks a "homophobic attack" and said she would report it to police, who are now investigating.

'Hate crime'

A Metropolitan Police statement said its "Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team is looking into an allegation of hate crime at the House of Commons made to them on Thursday, 9 January".

Speaking to the BBC on Thursday afternoon, before the Huffington Post recording was released, Lord Maginnis said: "I certainly didn't call her a 'queer'.

"Whether I was asked a question which used that particular term I'm not sure. It's not something I remember."

'Cross'

Lord Maginnis had spoken to the Huffington Post on Wednesday, after Ms Bardell made allegations against him that he verbally abused security staff as he entered Parliament the day before.

Ms Bardell witnessed the incident on Tuesday and raised it in the House of Commons, saying it was "one of the worst cases of abuse of security staff" she had witnessed as an MP.

Hannah Bardell told the Commons on Wednesday she saw the peer shouting at security staff

Lord Maginnis later told BBC News NI that he was not displaying his security pass at the time and admitted that he got "cross" when staff insisted that he take it out of his bag and show it to them.

He explained that doing so would cause him pain due to his arthritis, adding he had difficulty with balance because of nerve damage in his legs and feet.

But Lord Maginnis went on to accuse Ms Bardell of having an "ulterior motive" in making her allegations.

He said he believed she had complained against him because of his well-known opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion.

'Disgraceful'

Lord Maginnis made similar claims about Ms Bardell's motives in his Huffington Post interview, but then was heard to say: "Queers like Ms Bardell don't particularly annoy me."

"Okay, she's got her cheap publicity out of it."

Returning to the Commons on Thursday afternoon, Ms Bardell said: "I'm sorry to say the member from the Other Place [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 I, and others, consider this to be a hate crime."

Addressing Ms Bardell's concerns, the Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg urged Lord Maginnis to apologise, calling the comments "disgraceful".

'Bad tempered'

In a statement, the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord Fowler, said: "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."

The Lord Speaker said the use of such language was totally unacceptable

Lord Fowler added: "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."

In an interview on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme earlier on Thursday, Lord Maginnis admitted he became angry with the security guards.

"The next thing this Scottish lassie, I forget her name, I've never seen her before, she was there and she stood up in the House of Commons and made a scene about my being bad tempered, which was quite true.

"It's very strange, she must have an ulterior motive," the peer added.

Lord Maginnis, who is 81, became a life peer in 2001.

Prior to that he had been the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone since 1983.