John Gummer
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John Gummer was the Conservative MP for Suffolk Coastal until standing down in 2010.
Gummer is a past member of the General Synod of the Church of England, but is now a Roman Catholic.[1] John Gummer was a member of the Ecclesiastical Committee,[2] which considers measures passed by the General Synod of the Church of England.
At the end of 2009 Gummer announced that he would be standing down at the next election in order to focus on the campaign against climate change[3].
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Abortion
In May 2008 in the abortion amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (now Act), John Gummer voted for the abortion time limit to be lowered to 12 weeks against scientific and medical consensus which is currently 24 weeks[4]. After four separate parliamentary votes on varying time limits, the majority of MPs voted to keep the abortion time limit at 24 weeks, in keeping with scientific and medical consensus, hence no abortion amendments were added to the bill.
Religion
Dispute with the British Humanist Society
The British Humanist Society claimed that Gummer attacked them at the 2007 Conservative Party conference in Blackpool. According to BHA chief executive, Hanne Stinson, "He walked up to us and said loudly how much he hated us. He was shouting that we, because of our beliefs about living a good life without religion, had no right to be there; that the Conservative Party is a Christian party. He was spitting angry. It was peculiar behaviour". Gummer responded by saying he was "merely having a polite conversation with someone, suggesting the Conservative Party had Christian roots, and they blew it out of proportion".[5]
Blasphemy Law
On 6th May 2008, John Gummer voted against a Lords amendment to abolish the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel[6]. The amendment was nonetheless passed by a vote of 378 to 57.
Climate Change
In 2006, MPs were asked three questions by the Rough Guide's Mark Ellingham on how seriously they took climate change as politicians and as responsible, active citizens. John Gummer replied:
- "1: Climate change is the single most important issue facing humanity.
- 2: Although Britain's direct contribution to greenhouse gases is only 2%, that becomes 12% if you take into account the companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. We therefore should take a leadership role both at home and through the European Union in the world.
- 3: In my family and my companies we try to reduce our carbon footprint. We offset all travel and energy. We have a green tariff for electricity and we re-cycle as much as is possible. In the constituency my Constituency Association is initiating a programme of carbon saving, starting with our office and moving to engage our members and the wider electorate."[7]
References
- ↑ http://www.lythamstannesexpress.co.uk/have-your-say/Evidence-which-proves-point.3449420.jp
- ↑ http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/ecclesiastical_committee/ecclesiastical_committee_members.cfm
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8434735.stm
- ↑ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmsctech/1045/104502.htm
- ↑ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/pandora/gummers-unholy-row-with-the-humanists-396969.html
- ↑ http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2008-05-06&number=170&display=allvotes
- ↑ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/climate-change-what-mps-think--g-to-h-424378.html
