Anti-Gay Marriage British Lawmaker Busted for 11-Year Affair

Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 3 MIN.

British media outlets have reported that a conservative member of the United Kingdom Parliament, who strongly opposes marriage equality and supports traditional marriage, had an 11-year affair with a woman. The ex-mistress says she decided to expose the affair after the married politician condemned same-sex marriage.

According to the Mirror, Bob Blackman, a high-ranking Tory MP who touts that marriage should be between "one woman and one man," has been busted for cheating on his wife for over a decade. Carol Shaw, a Tory and Blackman's former mistress, exposed the affair to the British media after Blackman said he supported traditional marriage and denounced gay marriage.

The lawmakers have apparently been fooling around for 11 years and Shaw says they would often have relations on Friday afternoons when they were both Tory councilors.

"I couldn't believe a man who had an affair with me for over 11 years could have the cheek to preach about the sanctity of marriage," Shaw, 62, told the Mirror. She said that they even had sex in Blackman's bed and in his office at work.

Shaw added that she exposed the longtime affair after Blackman, 58, debated against same-sex marriage earlier this month.

"Bob is an absolute hypocrite. He talks about marriage being between one man and one woman, but why does he not practice what he preaches? More than once I asked about his wife and I got the impression one day he might leave her, because he said he could love two people at the same time."

Tories have been split over legalization of same-sex marriage, but the prime minister is going forward. Last week, the government announced it would introduce a bill next year that would legalize gay marriage. Still, some Tory members of Parliament argue that same-sex marriage would negatively impact society. They claim gay marriage would undermine "normal marriage" and polygamy would become the next hot button issue.

On Sunday, national U.K. newspaper the Telegraph reported that nearly 60 politicians from all three major parties signed a letter to protest the Prime Minster David Cameron's support. The lawmakers have launched a campaign in Parliament to oppose the measure.

Blackman married his wife Nicola, who is also a Tory councilor, in 1988. Shaw says that she started sleeping with him a year after they first worked together in London.

"I was smitten from the word go. I found him intelligent, very attractive. He knew a lot about politics and I was keen to learn. I would have to say it was love at first sight," she told the newspaper. She then recalls the sexual tension between them and the first time they had sex. She added that Blackman was a "terrible lover" and that he would "never try anything new. He would just say 'I haven't got much time.' He just wanted to get into it."

"We got in the front room and then we threw all our clothes on the floor and ran into the bedroom," she said. "It was very quick. I'd imagined something more romantic and I wanted more sensitivity like going out for dinner, but it didn't happen like that."

Shaw went on to say they were careful about their affair and would rarely go out together. She grew increasingly jealous, however, and knew that they would never be an item. The affair ended in 2000, after she finally realized he would not leave his wife for her.

"I remember one time he was late. He must have rushed his food because when he got here he vomited all over the loo and didn't clear it up," she said. "That really put me off. He was so egotistic and he didn't think something like that would put someone off him. He didn't even apologize. He was annoyed when it all ended. He didn't want anything to interrupt his steps up the political ladder and I could have been a fly in the ointment."


by Jason St. Amand , National News Editor

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