Police are investigating allegations of a hate crime at the House of Commons after a gay MP said a peer had called her a “queer”.
SNP MP Hannah Bardell said independent unionist peer Lord Maginnis launched a “homophobic attack” on her after she raised his “abusive” behaviour towards parliamentary staff when he forgot his security pass.
READ MORE: Scottish MP to report peer to police for homophobic slur
The HuffPost news website reported that Lord Maginnis did not deny the her claims and quoted him saying: “Queers like Ms Bardell don’t particularly annoy me. OK, she’s got her cheap publicity out of it.”
Speaking during business questions, Livingston MP Ms Bardell said: “I’m sorry to say that the member from the other place (the House of Lords) who I have complained about has now launched a homophobic attack on me in the press.
“This will be reported to the police and I know that I and others consider this to be a hate crime.”
READ MORE: Hannah Bardell among group of MPs reprimanded for playing football in House of Commons
The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Thursday evening that it was investigating an allegation of hate crime at the House of Commons.
A spokeswoman said: “The Met’s Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team is looking into an allegation of hate crime at the House of Commons made to them on Thursday January 9.”
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