Bury South MP Christian Wakeford has apologised and deleted a picture he posted on Twitter of him posing with Kiss rocker Gene Simmons in Parliament in a row over Islamophobia.
The MP, elected as a Tory in 2019 but who later defected to Labour, posted a picture of himself in the lobby of Parliament with Simmons, and wrote: "Was going to say @AngelaRayner stole the show at #PMQs this week but I’m afraid it wasn’t to be…
"Sorry Ange, there isn’t anyone able to upstage Gene Simmons! Great to have him watching in the Chamber today and to meet him too!"
But after he came under fire over Simmons' views - he is reported to have said Islam is a 'vile culture' - the MP deleted the tweet and apologised.
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He wrote: "Earlier today I joined several MP’s (sic) from across the House in meeting Gene Simmons from Kiss. As a huge heavy metal fan I took the opportunity to have a picture too. I have since been made aware of his political views and comments towards Muslims.
"Now I know this I wish to disassociate myself from those views he has expressed and apologise for any harm or offence caused by having a picture with him."
Singer and bassist Simmons, in the UK for the band’s End Of The Road tour, was a guest of DUP MP Ian Paisley (North Antrim) and received a private tour before making his first trip into the Commons chamber.
Simmons described Parliament as 'hallowed ground' in terms of democracy and was left in awe of the history of the building.
Simmons, speaking in central lobby, added on the exchanges in the Commons: "What I just saw in there was controlled chaos. It was the clash of wills but respectful – the right honourable so and so, it was fascinating.
"In America, it’s like the middle finger is a salute. I think Americans can take a big lesson in civility in how to make democracy actually work and still respect the other side.
"It bears noting that the coin that you use in trade actually has two different faces that don’t resemble each other at all but they both lay claim to the sovereignty of the coin. They both have the right to say ‘I am that coin’.
"Likewise, the person who disagrees with you has every right to say ‘This is my England as well’.”
Asked if he had visited Parliament before, Simmons said: "Never to Parliament – taught it to my students but never was physically here and I will tell you, touching a piece of granite that’s over 1,000-years-old is insane.
"America is so young and has no sense of history, everything over there is just fast, immediate, instant gratification and there’s no time to sit there and just gaze, I mean, look where you are – it’s insane. We’re standing on, in terms of democracy, hallowed ground."
Simmons caused outrage when he reportedly made the comment that Islam was a 'vile culture' in an interview with a radio station in Australia in 2004, although he later said he was referring to extremists.
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