Call to deselect Welsh Tory candidate over links to homophobic pastors

Martin Shipton

Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens has called on the Conservative Party to deselect its Clwyd North general election candidate because of his links to a homophobic and Islamophobic “hate preacher”.

Darren Millar, who has been a Member of the Senedd since 2007, is himself an evangelical Christian who before becoming a politician worked for an organisation that took Bibles to countries where they were banned or frowned upon by the authorities.

BBC Wales reported how he had previously attracted controversy for his association with a pastor called Yang Tuck Yoong, who described homosexuality as an “abomination” and a “sin”.

Mr Yoong was reported to police in 2013 after saying it was “far more rampant, militant and organised than most of us actually believe it to be” in a sermon titled “The Sin of Sodom”.

Financial links

In 2019, it emerged that a charity Mr Millar was a trustee of – the Evan Roberts Institute – had financial links to Mr Yoong’s Cornerstone Community Church. He said at the time he did not share the pastor’s views but human rights campaigners called for him to cut ties with the church.

The latest accounts of the Evan Roberts Institute show that the charity still leases a chapel it bought in 2014 to the Cornerstone Community Church, earning it income of £11,000 in ‘Freehold Reversionary Interest.’

Mr Millar told the BBC he did not endorse the views of the pastors and said “no one should be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation or religious beliefs”.

The refurbishment work on a chapel in Loughor, Swansea, was also paid for by the Cornerstone Community Church.

In a video from 2015, Mr Millar can be seen at the opening of Mr Yoong’s Bible College of Wales pictured alongside two other controversial preachers.The footage shows Mr Millar at an event with American preachers who have been accused of Islamophobia and homophobia – Lou Engle and Dutch Sheets.

In 2018, Mr Engle reportedly told a conference in Singapore that Muslims were “taking over the south of Spain” and said he “had a dream, where I will raise up the church all over Spain to push back a new modern Muslim movement”.

After the conference, hosted by the Cornerstone Community Church, police in Singapore reportedly investigated him over whether his comments could undermine religious harmony in Singapore. It was reported that Mr Yoong later apologised to Muslim community leaders for comments made by Mr Engle.

‘Martyrs’

Mr Engle has also reportedly called for “martyrs” to stop the “homosexual agenda” and accused Muslims of “fuelling the demonic realm” in sermons.

Also pictured with Mr Millar in the footage is the pastor Mr Sheets – a Christian nationalist. Mr Sheets has previously said that America must “refuse to give this nation to demons” including “Hinduism” and said that “Christianity will invade Islam”.

In a comment about the event at the time, Mr Millar said he was “delighted” to be at the event and said: “I thank God immensely how He shook a guy in Singapore and attracted him to this place in order to invest in what I believe is a project that would have ramification for the kingdom of God for many years to come. And I am delighted to be part of it.”

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “The Conservative Party does not condone homophobia or discrimination of any sort. Mr Millar has been clear that he does not share the views of these individuals.”

‘Shocking’

Ms Stevens, Labour’s candidate for the new seat of Cardiff East, said: “It’s shocking that Mr Millar continues to be associated with individuals who have homophobic, bigoted views that have no place in our society.

“Voters will rightly be asking serious questions about his suitability for both Parliament and the Senedd.

“It is not too late for the Conservative Party to do the right thing and suspend Mr Millar as a parliamentary candidate and from the Senedd Conservative group while these allegations are investigated.”

The deadline for candidates to submit their nomination papers for the general election is 4pm on Friday June 7.