Petition begun to unseat DUP’s Nelson McCausland over ‘gay conversion therapy’ post

Nelson McCausland triggered the storm on Monday when he tweeted “the fascinating story of Becket Cook”.

Mr McCausland introduced the interview stating: “A powerful testimony of a life changed by God and some important insights into the whole ‘gay movement’ from someone who has been there.”

Mr Cook was a gay man in Hollywood who had achieved great success as a set designer in the fashion industry.

He described his conversion to faith, after attending a church service, as “shocking and unexpected to me, a Road to Damascus moment”.

He no longer identifies as gay but says he still “struggles” with “same-sex attraction”.

The post provoked a storm of protest, with a petition now formed on www.change.org called “Nelson McCausland Resign from NI Education Authority” for advocating for “so-called gay conversion therapy”.

Upper Bann Alliance councillor Eóin Tennyson said the DUP politician “should be ashamed of himself”.