The Conservative MP for Shipley in West Yorkshire Philip Davies rejected the motion to reform relationships and sex education (RSE) in English schools — which includes teaching LGBT+ issues.
Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education has been proposed by the Department for Education to "teach relationships education at primary school, relationships and sex education at secondary school and health education at all state-funded schools."
The RSE new guidance, accounting for lessons on LGBT+ families and how to treat LGBT+ people, aims to come into force in September 2019.
Philip Davies' opposition to the motion on reform of RSE caused criticism by Angela Rayner MP, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary, who following the vote said she was "deeply disappointed" with the delay.
Our support for LGBT inclusive education is unequivocal.
— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) March 20, 2019
Here’s @AngelaRayner’s statement 👇 pic.twitter.com/3Q0Kh5NIlE
Inclusion of information on LGBT rights and relationships in school curriculum has prompted adverse reactions from parents across the UK. Rayner said that reports of schools stopping lessons on LGBT rights, following complaints by parent, "incredibly alarming."
Some of them said that Parkfield Community School was brainwashing their kids about gay rights, others — from the Alum Community Rock Forum — complained that the educators were "undermining parental rights and aggressively promoting homosexuality."
READ MORE: ‘Courageous' Muslim Parents in UK Boycott Brainwashing ‘Homosexuality Project'
Mr. Davies has long opposed the introduction of inclusive sex education in schools and same-sex marriage, arguing it represents discrimination against heterosexual people.
With the introduction of the new RSE guideline, parents in the UK will be able to withdraw their children from sex education lessons up to the age of 15 — but not out of relationships education classes.