Conservative PPC Philippa Stroud ran prayer sessions to "cure" gays

LMAO 'untwist your knickers'. You're the one getting wound up.

As for "disturbed people" I suggest you untwist your knickers and google it. It seems to be a widespread term, used by the Police and the NHS.

From the Guardian

Since publication, we have received a legal complaint from Philippa Stroud. She disputes the testimonies contained in the article and states that she has helped individuals of all sexual orientations to deal with a multitude of problems such as drug addiction, self-harming, alcoholism, eating disorders, and sexual abuse through prayer as well as offering practical help and advice. She also says that she has never founded a church, let alone a church that tried to 'cure' homosexuals. She has never prayed or advised any person to change his or her sexuality and has never countenanced any person for whom she has had responsibility attempting to question any person's sexual orientation or to re-orient them. In addition, the reference to demonic activity in her book "God's help for the poor' does not relate to sexual orientation but to those who have been involved in occult practices, including violence and sexual abuse. She adds that the New Frontiers Church network is based in the UK and has over 600 branches worldwide of which 220 are in the UK and no more than 30 are in the USA. It is not part of the US Evangelical Movement.

Based on the facts - she has dedicated her life to the desperate, nothing in her background ever suggests this and the incumbent LibDem is worried.

Based on what?

It appears to be a smear campaign by the LibDems.

Disgusting women. As is anyone who thinks that homosexuality can be 'cured'.

Well done, good voters of my home town. You have learnt from the mistakes of the past (remember Olga Maitland?) and relected your hard-working, decent MP. ANd you were all predicted to elect Stroud immaterial of the bad press.

Shame the same can't be said of where I live now!! (turned blue)

whoop whoop lib dem hold

I think it hasn't had wider coverage as the press is strongly biaised in favour of the tories winning and has only been looking for negative stories about the lib dems. A pity we can't have a more objective press in this country.

came to this a bit late but i had the misfortune to attend her church in the 90s - she may have good intentions but the church's views on homosexuality are pretty vile - i lived in fear of being singled out in front of the church and having my demons cast out.

needless to say i scarpered as soon as i could but regret wasting my teenage years so afraid of who i was

can't believe the story hasn't had wider coverage

Sorry, I've just spat my tea out. Did she really say,

"I have spent 20 years working with disturbed people who society have turned their back on and are not often supported by state agencies; drug addicts, alcoholics, the mentally ill and the homeless are just some of the people...the idea that I am prejudiced against gay people is both false and insulting... "

"Disturbed people"! What the...

If she turns up anywhere near me trying to 'help' me, she'll be getting an opinion she won't forget in a hurry.

Were they discussing immigration whilst wandering through the borough?

Am not sure - I get something through my letterbox everyday from the lib dems and only every other day from the Tories but we have had both DC and Boris wandering around the borough recently...

Thats the unfairness of the system. The tories can throw more and more money to buy parliamentary seats.

Ewe;

I've been told she's removed her Facebook page and has deleted herself from Twitter..

Is that right..?

Yes quite right - lets get rid of mps just because they've been there too long - doesnt matter that Burstow is the 'hardest working mp in london'(Evening Standard) or 'an expenses saint'(Telegraph)...

Am not even a natural lib dem voter but if you've got a good local MP then I dont see the problem tbh.

Sutton & Cheam is a marginal...she needs to win it ...DC has been focusing on Cheam..you know that..

Sorry for typo...should have said she's a fantastic candidate...she will be a fantastic MP of course....Paul Burstow has been in too long....he needs to go.

How do you know she is a fantastic MP - she is a candidate?

I've heard the current lib dem MP is very good though. Hope he keeps his seat.

Do you daftpunk? -well I'm glad you're splitting her vote against Paul Burstow by voting bnp then. And surely you mean will be a fantastic mp - she aint one yet...

And as you live here you will know that Cheam, South Sutton and Belmont always vote blue - if you look at the last London elections you'll see by how much but the rest of the borough is firmly yellow.

And theres a lot of whisperings on the trains and at the school gates about her not being local so not as cut and dried as you think...

Philippa Stroud is a fantastic MP and has massive support in Cheam..(I live near there)

Good luck on thursday Philippa..!

Atlantis - how can you complain that some one has started a thread about this lady when you yourself started a thread linked to the daily mail saying the lib dems had a few eccentric candidates.
Double standards eh?

Please let us be sensible and not believe every spin a "liberal" paper reports and then make very broad sweeping statements! I first personally met Philippa in Middlesbrough when running a charity supporting refugees.She was incredibly compassionate and interested in the stories our clients shared.She was inspiring with her drive to help those on the margins of society.She is certainly not a crank or bigot but someone who has a real drive to make a change for those who are most vulnerable in society.