{"id":105980,"date":"2023-02-15T18:02:19","date_gmt":"2023-02-15T18:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/?p=105980"},"modified":"2024-08-06T17:40:30","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T16:40:30","slug":"homophobic-attacks-political-intrigue-and-peter-tatchells-secret-love-affair-with-gay-footballer-justin-fashanu-the-1983-bermondsey-by-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/bermondsey\/homophobic-attacks-political-intrigue-and-peter-tatchells-secret-love-affair-with-gay-footballer-justin-fashanu-the-1983-bermondsey-by-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Homophobic attacks, political intrigue and Peter Tatchell&#8217;s secret love affair with gay footballer Justin Fashanu &#8211; the 1983 Bermondsey by-election"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4 class=\"2NEWSFirst1NEWS\">Forty years on from the notorious Bermondsey by-election that was marred by homophobia, Peter Tatchell has spoken about his secret love affair with gay footballer Justin Fashanu and the appalling abuse he suffered.<\/h4>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Fashanu\u2019s tragic end came in 1998, after he took his life following a series of allegations made against him over a sexual relationship he had with a seventeen-year-old in the United States.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">The relationship he shared with one of the UK\u2019s most outspoken gay activists has been unknown until now. Tatchell\u2019s bid to be MP for Bermondsey was beset by a level of homophobic violence and intimidation not seen before or since.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"69959\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448384\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">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<\/script>\n<figure id=\"attachment_105992\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-105992\" style=\"width: 483px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-105992\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-election-press-conf-Feb-1983-231x280.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"483\" height=\"585\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-election-press-conf-Feb-1983-231x280.jpeg 231w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-election-press-conf-Feb-1983-463x560.jpeg 463w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-election-press-conf-Feb-1983-768x929.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-election-press-conf-Feb-1983-750x908.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-election-press-conf-Feb-1983.jpeg 1180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 483px) 100vw, 483px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-105992\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peter at a Bermondsey Election press conference in 1983. Credit: Peter Tatchell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Some commentators say the media and political campaigns against him, including from his own party, represented the most sustained vilification of a gay public figure since Oscar Wilde.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">During this tumultuous time, Tatchell says the young footballer would visit his council flat in Elephant &amp; Castle as the pair were forced to hide their relationship.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"68153\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448385\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMTA1ODg3NTY1MCIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWNvbnRlbnQgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCIgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi1sZWZ0OiBhdXRvO21hcmdpbi1yaWdodDogYXV0bzt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOiBjZW50ZXI7Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtMngxIj4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLTJ4MScpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICAgICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Tatchell said Fashanu would \u201ccrawl from the stairwell\u201d to his front door, \u201creckoning that even if someone spotted him coming into my block they wouldn\u2019t know which flat he went to\u201d. He said their relationship ended due to distance, with Fashanu living in Nottingham.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">At the time Tatchell says the paparazzi had laid \u201csiege\u201d to his Rockingham Estate flat. Despite all this, he says the press council refused to intervene.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71156\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448386\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMTkzMTQ3NDg3MiIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1OSBzb3V0aC1lbnRpdHktcGxhY2VtZW50Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtbXB1OSI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHU5Jyk7IH0pOw0KPC9zY3JpcHQ+DQo8L2Rpdj4gICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n<p><span class=\"Fg92cpoBsdK5ejqDA6zkvxGw1fyiErtWXbHS8NCuJmnY3lR70PIh\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"93f8jr9EVJ\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/history\/in-depth-history\/the-battle-for-bermondsey\/\">The Battle for Bermondsey<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;The Battle for Bermondsey&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/history\/in-depth-history\/the-battle-for-bermondsey\/embed\/#?secret=dpKr0psvxK#?secret=93f8jr9EVJ\" data-secret=\"93f8jr9EVJ\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">A glimmer of joy in Tatchell\u2019s life during that period was his alleged relationship with Fashanu. Justin Fashanu came out in 1990 but he was in the closet when the pair met over a decade earlier at the gay nightclub Heaven.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">It was \u2018a relationship of love\u2019 according to Tatchell &#8211; one painstakingly concealed to avoid ruining Fashanu\u2019s career, which was not helped by Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">\u201cWe had a lot of discussions about his very difficult high pressure situation and his manager Brian Clough was abusing him after receiving reports he\u2019d been seen at gay clubs. It\u2019s no coincidence that Justin\u2019s performance on the pitch deteriorated. He didn\u2019t feel welcomed or accepted by Brian Clough.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"KWupcZ70u1aM2gsUVl8i36clf64shmKJNRLSvUhwEd0YzpxSyEGdZQbGCvHkfjVTeBX58BMCxPLqzb1Tg53FX2AeFDqjrO4\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"RlQSiq5qnI\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/community\/man-who-built-a-house-in-a-skip-is-receiving-a-warm-welcome-from-his-new-neighbours-in-bermondsey\/\">Man who built a house in a skip is receiving a warm welcome from his new neighbours in Bermondsey<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Man who built a house in a skip is receiving a warm welcome from his new neighbours in Bermondsey&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/community\/man-who-built-a-house-in-a-skip-is-receiving-a-warm-welcome-from-his-new-neighbours-in-bermondsey\/embed\/#?secret=xVNcbWnbHm#?secret=RlQSiq5qnI\" data-secret=\"RlQSiq5qnI\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Tatchell told the\u00a0<i>News<\/i>\u00a0how he endured terrifying attacks during that time as he battled for votes on the campaign trail.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71157\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448387\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtNDAxMjg4MzEzMCIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1LTEwIHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCcpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">\u201cI had over 150 attacks during the run up to the campaign including 30 attacks on my flat &#8211; mostly bricks and bottles through the windows &#8211; but also an arson attempt and a bullet through the letterbox,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">On two occasions, Tatchell says, vans tried to run him over on Lower Road and Great Dover Street, with one collision swiping him and his mangled bike into the gutter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">The infamous \u2018Battle of Bermondsey\u2019 was a time of political reckoning for the Labour Party locally and nationally and ultimately ended with Simon Hughes winning the seat to the shock of the nation, and Margaret Thatcher winning a landslide victory for her second term of office.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_105994\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-105994\" style=\"width: 272px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-105994\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Main-by-election-poster-1983-194x280.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"272\" height=\"392\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Main-by-election-poster-1983-194x280.jpeg 194w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Main-by-election-poster-1983-388x560.jpeg 388w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Main-by-election-poster-1983-768x1107.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Main-by-election-poster-1983-1065x1536.jpeg 1065w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Main-by-election-poster-1983.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Main-by-election-poster-1983-750x1081.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Main-by-election-poster-1983-1140x1644.jpeg 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 272px) 100vw, 272px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-105994\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Peter Tatchell election poster. Credit: Peter Tatchell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Labour leader Michael Foot faced internal revolts over the party\u2019s drift to the left.\u00a0 In many ways, Peter Tatchell was a symbol of that drift &#8211; a young, openly gay Australian activist advocating for a minimum wage, anti-discrimination law and opposing private development in Bermondsey.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">On a local level, Peter set out a vision of transforming the industrial Bermondsey docklands into an urban garden city. This, he says, would mean houses with gardens and trees in every street and pocket parks.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">He had already, as chair of the Rockingham Estate tenant\u2019s association, mobilised local children to march on the Greater London Council to demand that the derelict Dickens Square be turned into a local park with an adventure playground for kids.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">He says houses with gardens was his battle cry in an area where tenants were being forced into concrete blocks like \u201cbattery chickens\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">He also called on Southwark Council to decentralise its services, especially housing, to dozens of local hubs, to make them more accessible and accountable to local people.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">In particular, he wanted to improve the speed and efficiency of council estate maintenance and repairs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Since 1946, Labour MP and former docker Bob Mellish had represented the Bermondsey constituency. But according to Tatchell, he had presided over a stagnation of the local party.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">\u201cHardly anybody attended local branch meetings. The party had almost no connections with local community groups and it did no campaigning. It was just a shell,\u201d said Tatchell.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">He added: \u201cThe community was up in arms against the Labour council\u2019s plans for a luxury town hall and its collusion with property developers who wanted to take over the area to build office blocks and luxury flats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">By 1981, the Bermondsey Labour group was being run by the new left-wing faction of the party, with Tatchell as their secretary. When Bob Mellish announced he was leaving the party to join the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) in 1982, Tatchell was chosen as his successor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">The LDDC was introduced by the government to convert the industrial wasteland of Bermondsey and east London after the collapse of the docks. The east end would be home to Canary Wharf \u2013 the second city of London. Rotherhithe would provide the homes and whole swathes of new offices and luxury flats would be built on Bermondsey\u2019s riverside.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"6wXsHh3TWjlbUBZL48KOu90tIiSrCGgvY7opJQndqDMFVeNAk5xc12yRmE\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"awQ5E0iHdR\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/borough\/exclusive-woman-found-dead-in-swamp-flat-lay-there-for-roughly-four-months\/\">Exclusive: Woman found dead in &#8216;swamp&#8217; flat &#8216;lay there for roughly four months&#8217;<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Exclusive: Woman found dead in &#8216;swamp&#8217; flat &#8216;lay there for roughly four months&#8217;&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/borough\/exclusive-woman-found-dead-in-swamp-flat-lay-there-for-roughly-four-months\/embed\/#?secret=KSWtU4WdnZ#?secret=awQ5E0iHdR\" data-secret=\"awQ5E0iHdR\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">It was Bob Mellish\u2019s resignation that prompted the notorious by-election the following year, with Tatchell keeping his candidature despite opposition from leader Michael Foot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Arguably the most horrifying vitriol Tatchell faced came from his own party. Outgoing MP Bob Mellish backed rival Labour candidate and Southwark Council Leader Paul O\u2019Grady. Tatchell said O\u2019Grady would parade around in a horse-drawn cart singing a homophobic ditty in the election run-up.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_105999\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-105999\" style=\"width: 391px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-105999\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Labour-News-First-election-leaflet-1983-203x280.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"391\" height=\"539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Labour-News-First-election-leaflet-1983-203x280.jpeg 203w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Labour-News-First-election-leaflet-1983-406x560.jpeg 406w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Labour-News-First-election-leaflet-1983-768x1060.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Labour-News-First-election-leaflet-1983-1113x1536.jpeg 1113w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Labour-News-First-election-leaflet-1983.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Labour-News-First-election-leaflet-1983-750x1035.jpeg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 391px) 100vw, 391px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-105999\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Peter Tatchell election poster. Credit: Peter Tatchell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">The Liberal Party or the Alliance as it was known at the time, represented by Simon Hughes, handed out campaign material saying the election was \u2018a straight choice\u2019. Canvassers would wear lapel badges saying \u2018I\u2019ve been kissed by Peter Tatchell\u2019.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">All this was against a backdrop of anonymous graffiti by the far-right declaring Tatchell was a \u2019n*gger lover\u2019 and \u2018communist p**f\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Simon Hughes said the canvassers did so without the knowledge or authorisation of organisers and were told to remove them once organisers saw them.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_105995\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-105995\" style=\"width: 381px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-105995\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/HISTORY-libber834b-406x560-1-203x280.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"381\" height=\"526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/HISTORY-libber834b-406x560-1-203x280.jpeg 203w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/HISTORY-libber834b-406x560-1.jpeg 406w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-105995\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Liberal Party campaign leaflet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Sir Simon Hughes, who went on to win the election and serve as MP until 2015, would come out as bisexual in 2006. He has since apologised to Tatchell for his treatment by members of the Liberal Party, though he says he knew nothing of it at the time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Simon Hughes said: \u201cWe\u2019d been working in the constituency solidly for over two-and-a-half years before the by-election and had been building up our strength and success in the \u201881 and \u201882 elections. After the by-election, we went on to hold the seat for a further seven elections including with a bigger majority in 2010 on the last occasion and it was a privilege to do that. Whatever the circumstances that can be regretted about 1983, I hope in as many ways as possible that I and my colleagues have made up for anything that may have been inappropriate back then.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"mfnpVwKCL9JcQOkxBEXeh3YPNU8Z17goDdT0sRu5vlMF6yqIHbzr\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"N0HVI6WSHx\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/southwark\/350-women-built-waterloo-bridge-during-the-war-now-young-female-scientists-are-set-to-march-over-it\/\">350 women built Waterloo Bridge during the war &#8211; now young female scientists are set to march over it<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;350 women built Waterloo Bridge during the war &#8211; now young female scientists are set to march over it&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/southwark\/350-women-built-waterloo-bridge-during-the-war-now-young-female-scientists-are-set-to-march-over-it\/embed\/#?secret=fdZFMLyGWx#?secret=N0HVI6WSHx\" data-secret=\"N0HVI6WSHx\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Tatchell said: \u201cI can understand why Simon Hughes wanted to remain closeted about his bisexuality during the campaign but that does not excuse the Liberal Party\u2019s homophobic leaflets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">The Labour vote totally collapsed and the Liberal Party swept to a landslide victory, taking the red stronghold with 57.7 per cent of the vote. Peter Tatchell says the loss was a homophobic protest vote, but that his policies were also misrepresented.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_105996\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-105996\" style=\"width: 440px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-105996\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-book-2-Feb-23--184x280.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"440\" height=\"670\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-book-2-Feb-23--184x280.jpeg 184w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-book-2-Feb-23--368x560.jpeg 368w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-book-2-Feb-23--768x1168.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-book-2-Feb-23--1010x1536.jpeg 1010w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-book-2-Feb-23--scaled.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-book-2-Feb-23--750x1140.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Bermondsey-book-2-Feb-23--1140x1733.jpeg 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 440px) 100vw, 440px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-105996\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A book about the 1983 election by Peter Tatchell. Credit: Peter Tatchell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">Reflecting on how society has changed since 1983, Tatchell said: \u201cThere have been huge changes for LGBT+ people since the Bermondsey by-election, both in terms of law reform and public opinion. Now it\u2019s easy for a gay candidate to get selected by their parties and win elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">\u201cAfter the Bermondsey by-election there was huge public revulsion at the homophobic abuse I received. A lot of people were guilty and ashamed and that meant that subsequent gay candidates were not demonised like I was.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"3NEWSBasic1NEWS\">But he also noted how, much like in 1983, a Labour Party political establishment was appearing to block left-wing candidates. \u201cThe leadership is still trying to impose candidates and override the local democratic selection processes of local parties,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong>A documentary about Peter Tatchell&#8217;s 56 years of campaigning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/gb\/title\/81422831\">&#8216;Hating Peter Tatchell&#8217;<\/a> is available on Netflix.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>The story of Peter Fashanu&#8217;s life is also being adapted into an ITV drama, written by Bafta-nominated Young Vic director Kwame Kwei-Armah.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Forty years on from the notorious Bermondsey by-election that was marred by homophobia, Peter Tatchell has spoken about his secret love affair with gay footballer Justin Fashanu and the appalling abuse he suffered. Fashanu\u2019s tragic end came in 1998, after he took his life following a series of allegations made against him over a sexual [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18938,"featured_media":105990,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"subtitle":"They had to conceal their relationship from paparazzi who laid \"siege\" to Tatchell's Elephant and Castle council flat","format":"standard","video":"","gallery":"","source_name":"","source_url":"","via_name":"","via_url":"","override_template":"0","override":[{"template":"1","single_blog_custom":"","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"0","show_post_related":"0","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"override_image_size":"0","image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post":"0","trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post":"0","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","sponsored_post_name":"","sponsored_post_url":"","sponsored_post_logo_enable":"0","sponsored_post_logo":"","sponsored_post_desc":"","disable_ad":"0"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"","hide":""},"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"override_view_counter":"0","view_counter_number":"0","override_share_counter":"0","share_counter_number":"0","override_like_counter":"0","like_counter_number":"0","override_dislike_counter":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,13539,13603,13602,13543,8341],"tags":[482,7513],"class_list":["post-105980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bermondsey","category-featured","category-in-depth-history","category-news","category-politics","category-southwark","tag-peter-tatchell","tag-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18938"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}