Creator of gay
anthem defends antigay Scottish firefighters

The writer of one of England's gayest records of all time is funding an antigay campaign. George Hargreaves, author of Sinitta's "So Macho," is using the abundant royalty checks from the camp anthem to bankroll a legal battle by nine Scottish firemen who were disciplined for spurning a gay pride parade.

The former pop impresario converted to Christianity and became a Pentecostal preacher after years of success in the music industry. He has since launched his own political party, the Scottish Christian Party.

Hargreaves has admitted to writing Sinitta's stomper with the gay market in mind. "It was for women to dance round their handbags to and for the gay scene to go mad to on poppers," he said, according to the Telegraph newspaper.

Now he has offered to fund the cost of industrial tribunal actions for the nine men from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue who refused to hand out fire safety leaflets at a gay pride event in Glasgow in June. The men objected "on religious and practical grounds" to appearing in uniform alongside the marchers.

The nine men were given written warnings for failing to take part and were ordered to attend diversity training courses. The men launched appeals against the disciplinary action on Tuesday, and Hargreaves said that if the outcome was "anything less than total exoneration," the case could go to the House of Lords. (Gay.com/UK)