The government is under pressure to sack its “vile” new housing adviser, after he was accused of homophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.
Roger Scruton was appointed by Communities Secretary James Brokenshire to run a new commission to oversee the construction of a “better design and style of homes”.
BuzzFeed News has unearthed a 2007 article in The Daily Telegraph in which Scruton said being gay was not “normal”.
The philosopher also compared allowing gay couples to adopt to “incestuous liaisons”.
In an article for Spiked in 2015, Scruton said gay people had an “obsession with the young”.
And as Red Roar reported, he told BBC Radio 4 homophobia had been “invented”.
Scruton also described Viktor Orban, the right-wing leader of Hungary, as a “very intelligent character” who did not deserve the criticism of the “liberal establishment”.
Orban has been accused of running an anti-democratic, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic government.
Scruton himself said the Jewish “Budapest intelligentsia” were part of the “Soros Empire”.
He said of Islamophobia: “When people invent a phobia to explain all criticism of Islam … they wish to hide the truth.”
In a statement, Scruton said he was “offended and hurt” by any suggestion he was anti-Semitic or Islamophobic.
“Nothing could be further from the truth and I wish to rebut these incorrect assertions,” he added.
“If people actually read my comments regarding the interplay between George Soros and Hungary they will realise they are not in any way anti-Semitic, indeed quite the opposite.
“Only two years ago I supported George Soros by making representations to prime minister Orban’s regime to keep open the Central European University so that intellectual freedom could continue to flourish in Hungary.
“My statements on Islamic states points only to the failure of these states, which is a fact. My views on Islam are well known and can be found in my book, The West And The Rest.”
Ian Lavery, the chairman of the Labour Party, told HuffPost UK: “Hot on the heels of backing Viktor Orban in the European Parliament, the Tories have appointed as an adviser one of his allies, who has also made disgusting homophobic comments.
“Orban’s government in Hungary has attacked judicial and media independence, denied refugee rights, and pandered to anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
“The Tories should be condemning these actions, and the kind of vile discrimination that puts LGBT+ people in harm’s way, not appearing to endorse them.”