David Cameron's Homophobic New Friends

Paul Waugh at the Evening Standard has pointed out that the parties that the Tories are proposing to ally themselves with in the European Parliament include the Polish Law and Justice Party. He points out that one of the party's MPs made the pretty interesting remark: "Obama is an approaching catastrophe. This marks the end of white man's civilisation."

Their founder is also a climate change denier, quoted as saying that "Global warming is a false myth and every serious person and scientist says so."

A quick scout round the internets produces some more interesting information. The co-founder and current chair of the party, Jarosław Kaczyński, has, for instance, been quoted as saying that "The affirmation of homosexuality will lead to the downfall of civilization." This, just to be cheap for a second, from a man who is unmarried and lives with his mother.

Meanwhile, the Tories have been hiding behind Kaczynski's twin brother Lech, who is the current President of Poland, pointing out that he has disowned the remarks made by one of their MPs about Obama.

Maybe, but the charge of a homophobic party is rather less easily shrugged off. Lech Kaczyński himself, on a state visit to Ireland, was quoted as saying that the human race "would disappear if homosexuality was freely promoted". In march last year he broadcast a video of a gay American couple's wedding on Polish national television, to warn the nation that supporting the Lisbon Treaty, and therefore the EU Charter of Human Rights, would mean that same-sex marriage could come to Poland.

Make no mistake, this party has made homophobia a centrepiece of its identity.

If the Tories think it's unfair that people are mocking them for leaving the EPP Group in favour of joining forces with Europe's nutters, they've got some explaining to do.