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‘The Closet Is A Terrible Place’ – How Coming Out Transformed Five Lives

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Whether you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer, it’s hard to be happy when you have to lie about who you are. For many LGBTQ+ people, coming out as their true gender or sharing their sexuality comes fraught with fear over how family members will react, whether they’ll lose friends once they bring their authentic selves into the light, or if their workplace, church or community will look at them differently.

But no matter how difficult, the closet is no place for a person to truly live. Five people from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum share their coming-out stories, to unfurl the beautiful array of experiences the journey entails.

Sammy Altman

Sammy Altman

It took me a while to realise that I was in fact gay. I grew up without ever interacting with anyone who was LGBTQ+, and I thought for a long time that I was just strange and didn’t want to have sex. I then realised that I just didn’t want to have sex with a guy.

I was about 20. I told my sisters first who both were really kind and supportive, and encouraged me to tell my mum, but I was incredibly nervous. I’m Jewish and from a tight-knit community, so I wasn’t sure how my parents would react.

My Mum was on a holiday so I decided that would be a great time to tell her. I Skyped her with both of my sisters and I panicked and couldn’t say anything. I handed the phone to one of my sisters and she told my Mum, who hung up and for a long time it was difficult, and she wasn’t accepting.

I had a few coming out stories because I had to come out to my Mum and then I was silenced, having to come out to my dad and family separately. My Dad was really accepting. Yet, still my partner and I were not invited to family events and we were not allowed to tell my extended family.

Eventually they came to realise that they either accepted me for who I am, or they were going to lose me. So, 12 years later I’m now engaged and getting married in December to my fiancé Rachael, and my parents are very accepting towards her and treat her no differently to how my sister’s partners are treated.

At the time, I was ashamed. I wish I wasn’t, and now if it makes you feel uncomfortable, then fuck off. That’s not my problem!

Zoey Allen

Zoey Allen

I came out in January 2019. After years of fighting who I was, I finally discovered the language to describe how I felt and figured it was time to truly embrace who I was. I nearly came out to my wife at the time on so many occasions, but fear of losing my family put me off. I over masculinised, with tattoos, shaved head, big beard and some muscles, but it only made me more depressed.

I began dressing up in more feminine outfits for parties, shaved my beard and began losing weight. I had no other way of controlling how I looked and couldn’t put it into words.

Although my wife and I are no longer together, when I came out to her, she was there for me, particularly, in the early days and our children truly accepted me.

We began working on our blog www.ourtransitionallife.com and socials which I now solely run, talking about my journey and other LGBTQIA+ issues.

I lost a few friends and family members along the way due to a lack of understanding, but now at nearly 42 and four and a half years into my transition, I have not only reconnected with some, but I have a whole new LGBTQIA+ family who support me.

Sam Thomas (he/him)

Sam Thomas

The word gay was a slur when I was at school. Being effeminate with mullet-like hair, I stood out. For years, I was called gay, which meant I was disliked. Over time, the bullying went from verbal insults into physical violence. I’d hide in the boy’s toilets where I knew I wouldn’t be found. By sixteen, the bullying subsided. I guess to an extend I earned their respect for standing up for myself.

It was only at college did I realise what gay meant. There was a guy the same age as me, who I had a huge crush on. Back in 2002, when homophobia was rife, I had never met an openly gay guy before, but he was out & proud. This was when the penny dropped, and I realised fancying boys meant I was gay.

When I came out to my friend, she said, ‘I know. We all did back at school!’ It seemed everyone knew I was gay but me. She was the first person I spoke to about my sexuality and came out as lesbian soon after. We forget that coming out isn’t just giving ourselves permission to become our true selves. It’s also about giving others permission to become the people they’ve always yearned to be too.

Maria Eilersen (she/they)

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Maria Eilersen

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I came out to myself on a yoga teacher training in the Guatemalan jungle. I was in my late twenties and had just been made redundant from my corporate job. Not wanting there to be too glaring a gap in my CV but craving an eat-pray-love solo trip, I’d opted for a YTT abroad instead of a yoga retreat.

Spending three weeks immersed entirely in spiritual practice, surrounded by strangers who cared little about my life and career back in London, I was able to fully be myself for the first time without labels or expectations. That freedom allowed me to admit I was falling for one of the fellow yogis, and finally feel safe enough to accept that I’m queer. My solo travels supported this integration before I got home and felt ready to come out to friends and my sister. It took another six months and getting my first serious girlfriend for me to eventually come out to the rest of my family in Denmark.

Looking back, there were so many earlier signs of my bisexuality, but it took being stripped of societal expectations in the jungle to feel safe enough to finally explore it.

Moe Ari Brown (they/them or he/him)

Moe Ari Brown

Having been assigned female at birth and a biologically identical twin, I was also assigned a life plan and role within the world before I’d opened my eyes. My childhood was filled with listening to others’ expectations and receiving praise for trying to live up to them, forgetting how to live on my own terms. Despite my success in adulthood, I couldn’t seem to feel the joy I was supposed to feel at what everybody thought was the peak of my life. Enough was enough, and I embarked on a journey to understand why I felt this way.

I allowed myself to realise that I am transgender non-binary and discovered that losing my facade was the only way to experience joy truly. It was difficult to accept that I would no longer receive validation for meeting the expectations of others, especially when those expectations were about being like my twin. I experienced a kind of grief when I began to shed the layers of the persona I’d built based on those expectations – like when I first cut my hair.

For years, my long hair was one of the prominent ways that people identified me and my sister. They’d frequently refer to us as “the tall twins with the long hair.” In January 2015, the day I decided to cut my hair was one that I’ll never forget. It’s then I jumped straight into figuring out who I am as Moe Ari.

I’d recently made my relationship official with my then girlfriend, now wife, after knowing her for about three years. I was nearing the end of my graduate program in family therapy, and I was finally in a place where I was ready to be my full self with myself and in a romantic partnership. I came out to my parents as “queer” about a month later and began the process of coming out as transgender non-binary about a year after that.

I’m a work in progress, but when I learn new things about myself, I welcome others into celebrating with me rather than seeing it as “coming out” because I try to live my life now as though there are no walls and no closets to come out of.

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I Had To Poop In Front Of My Husband To Finally Realise I Wanted To Marry Him

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I met my first husband when I was 30 and very quickly decided, “This is it!” And once I’d proclaimed, I refused to admit that, well, it wasn’t. Call me naive, stubborn or hopelessly romantic, but not only did I not break up with him when I clearly should have ― we got married. I was a captain going down with the ship if the ship was a legal document tying you to someone you actually don’t even like.

It did not work out.

Within a week of meeting my current husband, I told him, “Just so you know. I’m not getting married, and I don’t think I want kids.” It became a quote so famous, we immortalised it on the cocktail napkins at our wedding.

At the time, I meant those words.

When I met Bo, I was swiping on Tinder for a hookup. A fling. A nice guy who wouldn’t annoy me and would *hopefully* be good in bed. Not a boyfriend, and certainly NOT a husband. Fresh out of that super toxic and incredibly dysfunctional first marriage, the last thing I wanted was any real intimacy.

Even if I did meet that mythical creature referred to as “the one.” I did not trust my decision-making skills. Sure, my ex had sold me a bill of goods, but I bought it. (It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.) I picked someone so unbelievably wrong, and I didn’t just date him. We made it fucking legal.

But Bo caught my eye. He had a picture of himself with a black eye on his profile, but the look on his face wasn’t giving “bar fight.” It was giving, “This is a dumb story I’d like to tell you about.” Turns out he had walked into a door. Not even a glass door. He had my attention.

Still, to prove to the universe and to myself that no man could hold me down, I flaked on our first date. I didn’t even make an excuse. “I’m having too much fun at a winery with my girlfriend. Can we reschedule?” He wasn’t offended. He just proposed a new date.

We met for drinks the following Thursday, and something happened that I was not expecting. We clicked. It was natural, organic ― I was being myself. Gross. There was a palpable attraction, which was my ultimate goal for the evening. But our conversation flowed. We went on more dates, but I had him at arm’s length. What the hell did he want from me? With all this “nice guy” tomfoolery. Surely he’d turn into a demonic loser. I just had to give it time.

When he invited me to a Halloween party his parents were hosting, I immediately said no. Meeting his parents? Was this guy high? Curiosity overruled my trepidation when he showed me the invite featuring an artistic drawing with a woman’s nipples exposed.

I told him I’d go for research purposes only. We attended the soiree dressed as the sisters from “The Shining.” I spent the evening smoking cigarettes, drinking whiskey by the pool and casually talking to his friends.

“This isn’t serious, this is a fling” was my mantra for the night.

A week later, one of my friends was having a party. I invited him, then immediately started to sweat. We went to a late lunch beforehand, and I sat there with a hoagie in my hand and felt sick. Why had I invited him? I started acting weird, and he finally asked me what was wrong. To my surprise, I told him the truth.

“I don’t want you to go to the party. I’m not ready for you to meet all my friends.”

He didn’t get mad or make me feel bad. He just said, “OK. I don’t have to go.”

Six months later, we moved in together.

I loved living alone. I loved my apartment. For the first time since hitting puberty, I didn’t need male approval to approve of myself. I never needed to live with someone again. Once I realised that, it freed me up to choose it.

Maybe that explains what happened when I came home from a bachelorette party feeling hungover and sappy one night. I blurted out a question that was NOT premeditated.

“But what if I want a baby?”

When I got pregnant with our son, I STILL wasn’t on board with marriage. I knew Bo would be a good dad and a good co-parent. I didn’t need him to be a husband as well.

Fun fact! You have to have a bowel movement before they let you leave the hospital after a cesarean birth. Maybe that’s the rule for vaginal birth, too. I’m never finding out. After the baby was born, I could barely sit up or get out of my bed, let alone walk to the bathroom. So when the moment finally felt right, Bo had to escort me. He held my hand as I cried on the toilet and pushed out a No. 2.

the wedding napkins with the infamous quote

Photo Courtesy Of Christina Birdsall

the wedding napkins with the infamous quote

I had never been that vulnerable with any partner before. I made a baby with this man, but it was in that moment of relief that I finally felt like I could really commit to him. An emotional barrier dropped along with my BM.

My first live-in boyfriend picked me up from the airport once after I had accidentally soiled my skinny jeans on the plane (bad oysters). I tried not to hug him for too long or make direct eye contact.

I shoved my pants in the dumpster as soon as we got home, and we ended things about five months later. It wasn’t directly related to this incident. But the fear of sharing my poopy pants told a deeper story. I was afraid that if I shared my authentic self ― the good, the bad and the smelly ― I’d be rejected.

I can trace the lines of my relationships’ past and directly link each one to a similar lack of intimacy, vulnerability and trust. I felt more in control when I was seeking approval. It blinded me. With Bo, I want to be with him, but I don’t need to. Now I can see the difference.

We celebrated our marriage on May 6, 2023, with close friends and family. But it was only once I let it out that I really started to let him in.

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The 4 Biggest Early Warning Signs Of Lyme Disease

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While the arrival of summer brings the opportunity to spend more time lounging on your lawn or hiking woodsy trails, we’re not the only ones excited about the long, warm days ahead: Ticks are most active from April through September. And while no one wants a bug bite, ticks are significantly more threatening than most insects.

These poppy-to-sesame-seed-sized bugs are responsible for the spread of Lyme disease, particularly in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and upper Midwest. Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States ― in other words, it’s the most common human illness caused by a biting insect that spreads a parasite.

While treatable with antibiotics if caught early enough, if it’s left untreated, Lyme disease symptoms can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system, which is why it’s important to catch it early (or, ideally, to avoid getting it at all).

Below, infectious disease experts share the most common early symptoms of Lyme disease so you don’t end up with a chronic case of it ― and how to avoid getting it in the first place.

The Top Early Signs Of Lyme Disease

Dr. Tammy Lundstrom, an infectious disease specialist at Trinity Health in Michigan, and Dr. Sarah Park, an infectious disease clinician who works at the life sciences company Karius in Honolulu, suggested looking out for the following early signs of Lyme disease.

A ‘Bullseye’ Rash

Formally called “erythema migrans,” a rash that looks like a bullseye or target is the most common early Lyme disease symptom, according to Lundstrom.

“It can be very faint, however,” she said. “It also may be absent in 20-30% of cases and can be hard to see on darker skin tones.”

Park added that this rash typically appears within three to 30 days following a tick bite.

Flu-Like Symptoms

Between COVID, the flu and even the common cold, if you find yourself with achy joints, chills, a fever, a headache or other flu-like symptoms, Lyme disease may not be the first thing on your mind. But these symptoms could be signs of it.

“These symptoms can easily be mistaken for a common viral infection such as a cold or flu,” Lundstrom said. “However, the onset of these symptoms paired with potential tick exposure ― for example, hiking in the brush, woodsy areas or tall grass ― occurring three to seven days afterward can signal Lyme disease is a possible cause. Be sure to consult with a medical professional, especially if you identify the bullseye rash or develop other noted symptoms.”

Fatigue

Sudden fatigue could also be an early Lyme disease sign.

“Fatigue is an early sign that is frequently dismissed and assumed to occur from not enough sleep or regular everyday activities like working out,” Park said.

Non-Bullseye Rashes

Other rashes that don’t look like a target could be an early sign of Lyme disease, too.

“A bullseye rash may first appear as a small red bump or a solid red patch that gradually expands, but not everyone develops this type of rash,” Park said. “Other skin manifestations like hives or discomfort similar to a sunburn can also occur.”

Fatigue is one of the hallmark signs of Lyme disease.

FG Trade via Getty Images

Fatigue is one of the hallmark signs of Lyme disease.

How To Prevent Lyme Disease

While Lyme disease is treatable when caught early enough, the best case scenario is that you don’t get it at all — which is why it’s key to protect yourself from ticks, be aware of the early signs of Lyme disease, and know when and where you’re most likely to get it.

“The illness is caused by ticks in the nymph stage, not adults,” Lundstrom said. “They may be very small, around the size of a poppy seed, and hard to see, but it is important to do a thorough check for ticks after outdoor activities. This includes skin folds and your hair. Early recognition and treatment are key to preventing chronic symptoms such as arthritis, headaches, neck stiffness and facial drooping.”

In addition to checking for tinier ticks (remember: the size of a poppyseed!) Lundstrom recommends wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts when hiking.

“Treat clothing with 0.5% permethrin or buy pretreated hiking gear, and use EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET,” she added. “Walk in the centre of trails for less contact with brush and grass, and always examine skin and clothing carefully and shower to wash off unattached ticks upon returning from a hike.”

If you prefer a DEET-free alternative, Lundstrom said picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone are options to look for in an EPA-registered insect repellent.

It’s also important to do regular tick checks if you live in an area with more Lyme disease and to seek help right away if you’re noticing any signs that could be symptoms of the disease.

Finally, know that in most cases, a tick has to be attached to your body for 36 to 48 hours before Lyme disease can be transmitted, which is why checking for and removing ticks quickly can make all the difference when it comes to Lyme disease prevention.

While a Lyme disease vaccine may be a possibility at some point in the future, for now, it’s a reality we’re living with. So know the signs, wear protective clothing and bug spray, and do regular tick checks this summer. Trust us, you won’t regret it.

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Anna Richardson Names The Stars Who Told Her They’d Be Up For Celebrity Naked Attraction

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Naked Attraction presenter Anna Richardson has revealed a number of celebrities have told her they’d be up for appearing on a star-studded version of the outrageous dating show.

“I’ve bumped into a couple of celebs recently who’ve gone ‘I’d do it!’,” Anna told OK! magazine, naming Blue singer Duncan James as one of them.

She continued: “Duncan James was like, ‘I’m up for it!’, and I was like ‘oh my god!’.

“And the lovely Anna Whitehouse, who does the Dirty Mother Pukka podcast, said to me a couple of weeks ago that she’d do it.”

News presenter India Willoughby previously claimed she’d been approached about appearing on a celebrity special of Naked Attraction in aid of Stand Up To Cancer.

Meanwhile, reality star Lauren Harries took part in an episode of Naked Attraction back in 2019.

Anna has also teased that she still has one other “big dream” when it comes to Naked Attraction, which she’s hosted since it launched in 2016.

“I’d like to do it as a theatre show,” she explained. “I just think there’s a few things that we could do now to move it on and Naked Attraction Mark 2. But we’ll see…”

Earlier this week, Channel 4 was forced to set the record straight after reports in the press claimed that the divisive dating show could be facing the axe amid budget cuts at the station.

Naked Attraction will return for a new series in 2024.

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The Love-In Between Kylie Minogue And Hobbycraft Wimbledon Has Officially Made Our Week

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With a Padam-ic still sweeping the nation thanks to Kylie Minogue, there’s one part of it that has really warmed our hearts over the last few weeks.

By now, you’ll probably be aware of the phenomenon that is the Australian singer’s latest single Padam Padam, and the many, many memes and remixes it has spawned on social media.

Among them was an especially brilliant one from the team at Hobbycraft in Wimbledon, London.

Using fabric from the crafting store, the gang fabulously recreated the Padam Padam video on TikTok

The video soon blew up, attracting more than 600k views, and coverage on meme accounts like Hunsnet.

At the time, Kylie commented on the video: “YES Hobbycraft! (Is there anything left in the remnant box??!!).”

They responded: “For you we can always find something. You need to pay us a visit.”

Kylie then name-checked the Hobbycraft team during a radio interview

During an appearance on Kiss FM, Kylie gave a special shout-out to the Hobbycraft crew as she discussed the Padam Padam memes with presenter Harriet Rose.

“There’s an amazing one, which was, big up Hobbycraft Wimbledon massive. I mean, hilarious,” Kylie said.

“They committed to this routine, four staff. This is the first time I’ve like said it, I’ve talked about it with my friends, but when they hear this, you did a great job.”

The Hobbycraft Wimbledon massive were stunned by Kylie’s words

They posted a TikTok duet video showing them reacting to Kylie’s comments about their video, which was adorable.

But that isn’t the best bit…

Kylie paid the Hobbycraft crew the ultimate compliment by filming a duet video of her own with them.

“When Hobbycraft Wimbledon goes Padam Padam they go FULL OUT!” she wrote.

“We are living for this,” the team responded, while Hobbycraft’s parent TikTok account also wrote: “This is the duet we’ve been living for. Can we make it a reality in real life?”

Someone get Kylie to Wimbledon ASAP.

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Luke Evans Says He ‘Wept’ After Reading Script For His First-Ever Gay Role

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Luke Evans’ latest movie role is the first to reflect his queer authentic self.

The Welsh actor stars opposite Billy Porter in Our Son, which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

Our Son follows Nicky and Gabriel (played by Luke and Billy, respectively), a married couple who are engaged in a bitter custody dispute over their eight-year-old son, as they inch toward divorce.

Though Luke’s résumé includes starring roles in Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty And The Beast and other blockbusters, the actor had not portrayed a gay role in a major film until now.

“I’ve been ready to take that step for ages. I just haven’t found the right story [until now],” he told People. “Divorce is as right for a gay couple as marriage, and I hadn’t really seen that, and when I read it, every time I’ve read the script, I wept.”

Billy Porter (left) and Luke Evans star in the new drama "Our Son," which debuted at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.
Billy Porter (left) and Luke Evans star in the new drama “Our Son,” which debuted at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

Erik Tanner via Getty Images

He went on to note: “So I just thought, ‘Maybe this is a good time, and this is a good role to pick up and do.’”

These days, Luke is in a relationship with boyfriend Fran Tomas, a graphic designer from Spain. The couple made their red carpet debut at a UNICEF event in December.

Still, the actor has endured criticism in recent years amid claims he’d been reluctant to make a statement about sexuality as his Hollywood career was on the rise.

“My career was public, I was photographed, and all that stuff,” he told Attitude magazine in 2020.

“My personal life just became the last thing that I had. Also, what was strange was that when people did find out that I was gay, there was a lot of articles and stuff written saying that I was hiding it, and I wasn’t.”

Luke Evans (left) and boyfriend Fran Tomas.
Luke Evans (left) and boyfriend Fran Tomas.

Darren Gerrish via Getty Images

Raised a Jehovah’s Witness, Luke left his home and religion at age 16 in order to pursue an acting career.

In his chat with Attitude, he said that decision made speculation he’d deliberately stayed closeted more hurtful: “I just wanted to get online and I wanted to pick up the phone and say, ‘Do you realise I left home at 16 because I was gay?’ I went into the world as a kid, because I had to.”

As for Our Son, Luke described working on the film as “traumatic at times, painful at times, very real, very visceral and very relatable”.

“You don’t have to be gay to enjoy this or understand this story,” he explained to People. “Families break up all the time, but this is the story of hope, and how they get through it, and how a new chapter is started, but a different kind of chapter.”

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Vaginal Seeding: Should You Swab Your Baby With Vaginal Fluid After C-Section?

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Swabbing newborn babies with their mum’s vaginal bacteria might boost their early development, according to new research.

Known as vaginal seeding, the process involves transferring vaginal bacteria to a baby after a caesarean section, with a view to improving their gut bacteria.

The process reportedly originated in Australia, however over the years has become increasingly popular in the UK, too – with more and more mums asking for vaginal seeding after a C-section birth.

But there are risks attached – specifically the risk of passing on an infection from mother to child.

What is vaginal seeding all about then?

Previous research has found babies born by C-section tend to have different gut bacteria to those born vaginally.

Vaginally born babies receive their early gut bacteria from the mother’s birth canal, while C-section babies’ microbiota are dominated by bacteria found on the mums’ skin, in breastmilk and in the environment.

While the difference tends to disappear as they age, researchers suggest early gut microbiota is associated with the development of baby’s immune system and could affect their disease risk later in life.

This has led to practices like vaginal seeding – basically, mums (or dads) would rub newborns with a gauze swab containing their mother’s vaginal fluids after birth via C-section.

But there is limited clinical evidence that vaginal seeding is safe and effective.

What are the risks of vaginal seeding?

Doctors have previously warned that the process could put babies at risk of infection – particularly from group B strep (GBS), which can prove deadly in some cases. And according to Jane Plumb, chief executive of Group B Strep Support, testing for group B strep “is rarely available in the NHS”.

“[GBS] is carried by around one in four pregnant women, and although it poses no risk to the mother it can cause fatal infections in babies,” Dr Aubrey Cunnington, a clinical senior lecturer from Imperial College London, wrote in the BMJ.

“There are also other conditions that cause no symptoms in the mother, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and herpes simplex virus, that could be transferred on the swab.”

He spoke about how one colleague had to intervene when a mother with genital herpes, who had undergone a C-section and was about to undertake the process.

“Swabbing would have potentially transferred the herpes virus to the baby,” said Dr Cunnington.

What does the new study say?

Researchers rubbed the lips, skin and hands of 32 newborns delivered via C-section with a gauze soaked with their mothers’ vaginal fluids and another 36 newborns with a gauze soaked with saline as blind controls.

Because of the risks attached, the mothers were tested in advance to make sure they were free of infections, such as sexually transmitted diseases and group B strep.

The team found that newborns who received the microbiota had more gut bacteria found in maternal vaginal fluid six weeks after birth, suggesting that maternal vaginal bacteria successfully reached and colonised babies’ guts.

Compared with C-section newborns who received saline gauze, babies with microbial transfer had more mature bacteria in their guts at six weeks old, similar to babies born vaginally.

And no infants experienced severe adverse events during the experiment, according to the study which was published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.

It could also boost development

The team also evaluated the babies’ neurodevelopment at three months and six months after birth, using a questionnaire.

They asked the mothers if their babies were able to make simple sounds or perform movements like crawling on their hands and knees.

Babies who had been swapped with vaginal fluid scored significantly higher in neurodevelopment at both ages, and their scores were comparable to those of vaginally born babies.

Study author Yan He, of Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, said they now want to determine if vaginal microbiota seeding has the potential to reduce the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, such as ADHD, ASD, and intellectual disabilities.

“It is somewhat like faecal microbiota transplantation,” continued He.

“We need more data to understand this intervention and make it more precise. We may eventually uncover what exactly is beneficial in maternal vaginal microbiota, which could enable us to design therapeutics for all infants born via C-section in the future.”

Advice for parents

Dr Cunningham, who cautioned against vaginal seeding, urged mothers considering the procedure to discuss it with their doctors first so that they are fully informed and are aware of the risks involved.

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Guto Harri Suggests Boris Johnson ‘Deprived Of Livelihood’ By Partygate Report

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Guto Harri has suggested the MPs who pronounced Boris Johnson misled parliament have deprived him of a livelihood.

Appearing on BBC Question Time, Harri, a former Johnson aide, indicated he thought the privileges committee was not “beyond reproach”, citing the fact one-time Labour leader chaired the group.

Harri argued the “quasi-judicial process” was beyond the remit of the Commons – a talking point put forward by a number of Johnson loyalists.

But this has been countered repeatedly by the argument that the Conservative Party holds a majority of MPs on the committee, and Johnson has been represented by Lord Pannick, one of the country’s leading lawyers, at the public’s expense.

On Thursday, the privileges committee found Johnson deliberately misled parliament over partygate.

It recommended a 90-day suspension for the ex-prime minister, which he will escape after resigning as an MP, and said he should not receive a pass granting access to parliament which is normally given to former members.

Johnson has been making serious money from speeches since being forced out of Downing Street last year – with one entry in the register of members’ interests in February stating he was paid almost £2.5 million for speeches he hadn’t even made yet.

Question Time’s first debate on Thursday was over whether Johnson’s political career was “dead and buried”.

Harri said: “If you can deprive people of their livelihood, you need to be beyond reproach.

“And the idea that the former leader of the Laboor party can decide essentially on the process and the outcome that drives out a Conservative prime minister from parliament for me, whether you like Boris or not, does not look like due process.”

On the panel, SNP MP David Linden claimed Johnson has voted just three times in the Commons and earned £5 million since he left office. “Boris Johnson probably isn’t going to go hungry as a result of leaving parliament,” he added.

It’s the latest defence of Johnson from loyalists.

Lord Stewart Jackson, a former Conservative MP and another ally of Johnson, suggested the devastating report is “revenge for Brexit”.

Conservative MP Brendan Clarke-Smith told the BBC that the report was “vindictive, spiteful and an over-reach”, adding: “90 days and taking their pass off them is the equivalent of putting somebody in the stocks and touring them round the country.”

Former Cabinet minister Simon Clarke said “this punishment is absolutely extraordinary to the point of sheer vindictiveness”.

Johnson was said to have deliberately misled MPs with his partygate denials and accused of being complicit in a campaign of abuse and intimidation, with the former prime minister hitting out at the “deranged conclusion”.

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‘You Sound Crackers’: Boris Johnson Ally Called Out For Claiming Downfall Is ‘Revenge For Brexit’

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An ally of Boris Johnson has been labelled “crackers” for suggesting the devastating report that could end the former prime minister’s political career is “revenge for Brexit”.

On Thursday, the privileges committee of MPs found Johnson deliberately misled parliament over partygate.

It recommended a 90-day suspension for the ex-prime minister, which he will escape after resigning as an MP, and said he should not receive a pass granting access to parliament which is normally given to former members.

MPs are expected to have a free vote on the proposed sanctions.

On the BBC’s Politics Live soon after the report was published, Lord Stewart Jackson, a former Conservative MP, echoed Johnson’s words by describing the process as “a sham court” and “a kangaroo court”, and said the MPs had conducted a “quasi-judicial process”.

He added: “And there are people there who were out to get him, and what this is effectively is revenge for Brexit dressed up as a judicial process.”

After Jackson insisted the majority of parliament was “hostile to his position on Brexit”, he faced pushback from Ellie Mae O’Hagan from the Good Law Project, which has launched a number of legal challenges against the government.

She said: “I’m sorry, I really don’t like being rude to fellow guests. But you sound crackers … the things you are saying are just crackers … it as like the idea that this is about Brexit, the idea that Britain is now a banana republic …”

You can watch the full exchange below.

Other Johnson loyalists have taken to the airways to defend Johnson.

Conservative MP Brendan Clarke-Smith told the BBC that the report was “vindictive, spiteful and an over-each”, adding: “90 days and taking their pass off them is the equivalent of putting somebody in the stocks and touring them round the country.”

Former Cabinet minister Simon Clarke was also among Johnson’s allies to indicate they would vote against the report, saying “this punishment is absolutely extraordinary to the point of sheer vindictiveness”.

Johnson was said to have deliberately misled MPs with his partygate denials and accused of being complicit in a campaign of abuse and intimidation, with the former prime minister hitting out at the “deranged conclusion”.

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Nadine Dorries Says She Wants Answers To Peerage Snub Before Resigning

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Nadine Dorries is to conduct her own investigation into why she did not get a peerage before actually resigning in the latest twist to the Boris Johnson honours list saga.

The move is in stark contrast to her tweet on Friday, which said: “I have today informed the chief whip that I am standing down as the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, with immediate effect.”

The list of new additions to the House of Lords lacked the names of Dorries and another Johnson loyalist, Nigel Adams.

The former prime minister then dramatically announced his Commons exit, as the privileges committee of MPs prepared to report that he lied to parliament over partygate, with Dorries and Adams following suit.

Both Johnson and Adams have triggered the arcane process to officially resign – but Dorries has not, with reports suggesting the former culture secretary is delaying a by-election for her Mid Bedfordshire seat to inflict pain on Rishi Sunak.

The PM is blamed by Dorries for blocking her move to the upper house, though he maintains he only refused to intervene with Lords officials when pressed by Johnson.

On Wednesday night, Dorries broke her silence on the issue – tweeting she will not formally resign until after she gets answers from the government about why she did not get her peerage.

She insisted it is “absolutely my intention to resign” but said her requests for documents from the House of Lords appointments commission “is now sadly necessary” as she accused No 10 of “varying and conflicting statements” over her absence from Johnson’s resignation honours list.

She also vowed to “continue to serve my constituents of Mid Bedfordshire”, after Sunak earlier said her constituents “deserve proper representation”.

With her demands for documents likely to take time, the three by-elections will almost certainly have to take place over separate days.

The move could prolong the misery for the prime minister as he faces a battle to defend three Conservative seats at a time of dire polling as he publicly scraps with Johnson.

Downing Street has expressed bewilderment at her delay in officially quitting. Sunak’s press secretary said: “It’s obviously unusual to have an MP say they will resign with immediate effect and for that not to take place.”

In another Tory fit of pique, Johnson on Wednesday called for a Tory MP to step down from the partygate probe amid extraordinary claims he attended a gathering during lockdown.

The former prime minister wants Bernard Jenkin to resign from the privileges committee, which has been investigating whether he misled MPs over the lockdown scandal. The claim came on the eve of the report’s publication.

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