Metropolitan Police: Stephen Port Murders Inquest

Chris Bryant Excerpts

Monday 13th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

That seems to have been aimed at me, but I just say that I granted an urgent question because there was no statement.

[Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)]

And well done you, Mr Speaker.

The Minister has said repeatedly that he has reassured himself, but he has not reassured me—if anything, quite the opposite. He keeps referring to this as a “tragedy”, but it is not a tragedy; it is a double-layered gay hate crime. I wish he would actually use those words. It has been a double-layered gay hate crime. First there were the original murders, and then there was the refusal to investigate them, which in itself is a gay hate crime. It is about time we took this seriously, not least because homophobic hate crimes in the past three years have risen to 1,833 a month. That is why a lot of gay men in this country are beginning to feel frightened. The Government have got to do something. Get on with it!