Nigel Evans: Deputy speakers arrest laced with whiff of homophobia
NEWSPAPERS lead with news that Nigel Evans has been arrested on suspicion of rape. Mr Evans is the deputy Speaker of the House of Commons and the Conservative MP for Ribble Valley. He is accsued of raping two men in their 20s between July 2009 and March 2013 in Pendleton, Lancashire. So. How do you report the news?
The Sundays Times focuses on Mr Evans role in Parliament: “Deputy speaker in rape arrest.”
The Telegraph, Mirror and People emphasies that Mr Evans is a “Top Tory”.
And the Daily Mail and Sun focus on the fact that Mr Evans is gay. Do they emphasise the sexuality of all people accused of alleged rape?
How central to the story is Mr Evans’s sexuality? To the Sun’s David Wooding it is the single most important fact. He begins his report:
GAY Deputy Commons Speaker Nigel Evans was arrested yesterday on suspicion of sex attacks on two men aged in their 20s.
Do you detect the whiff of homophobia in the Sun and Mail’s coverage?
Posted: 5th, May 2013 | In: Politicians Comments (5) | TrackBack | Permalink
