This article appeared in todays "The Times":
FRIDAY MARCH 02 2001
Gummer attacks Jehovah's Witnesses
BY GREG HURST
A FORMER Cabinet minister accused Jehovah’s Witnesses of being heretical yesterday and said that their doctrines were probably “fraudulent”.
John Gummer (C, Suffolk Coastal), the former Environment Secretary and Agriculture Minister, made a series of outspoken remarks as the Commons passed a Bill to allow priests and clergymen to sit as MPs. Mr Gummer said that Jehovah’s Witnesses were “heretical and potty”.
The Removal of Clergy Disqualification Bill, which cleared the Commons yesterday, replaces Acts dating back 200 years that prevent Catholic priests from serving as MPs and require Church of England clergy to divest clerical responsibilities before entering the Commons.
Labour has acknowledged that the Bill was being brought forward as David Cairns, a former Catholic priest who is Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for the safe seat of Greenock and Inverclyde, would otherwise be unable to claim his seat if elected. Most MPs supported the measure as ending an indefensible discrimination.
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