Boris Johnson accused of failing to support LGBT+ people over botched debate answer

Boris Johnson has been accused of not being supportive of the LGBT+ community after his answer about backing marriage equality in Northern Ireland during the Tory leadership debate with Jeremy Hunt.

During the fiery ITV debate, Hunt and Johnson were asked: “Do you support extending abortion rights and same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland?”

Hunt said “yes.”

Johnson on the other hand, said these are matters for the Northern Ireland assembly, and his response has been criticised online for its noncommittal nature.

His comments come as MPs backed amendments to liberalise abortion and extend same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland if devolution is not restored.

The Commons debate about Northern Ireland was put to a vote and MPs backed the same-sex marriage amendment by 383 votes to 73, and the abortion amendment was backed 332 to 99.

Neither Hunt nor Johnson recorded a vote on the issue, along with cabinet ministers, including Theresa May, Ester McVey , Philip Hammond, Sajid Javid, Stephen Barclay, Liam Fox, Damian Hinds, Chris Grayling, Karen Bradley, Rory Stewart, Brandon Lewis and Jeremy Wright.

People criticised Boris for avoiding the question

With other people criticising both Hunt and Johnson

Boris "is not an ally"

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