Late backdown:  British Liberal leader concedes that opponents of homosexual marriage are not "bigots"

Was the Bible written by bigots?

Nick Clegg attracted ridicule after hastily attempting to withdraw a press release in which he referred to opponents of gay marriage as 'bigots'.

The clumsy attempt at news management by the Deputy Prime Minister's senior press officer brought immediate comparisons to The Thick of It, the spoof BBC Television show about bungling politicians and civil servants.

Mr Clegg's office had sent out a press release via email at 3pm informing journalists about a reception he is hosting tonight for "celebrity campaigners, religious figures, activists, charities and politicians" to "celebrate the Government’s historic consultation on equal marriage."

In a hard-hitting speech at the reception, the press release announced, the Liberal Democrat leader would describe opponents of gay marriage as "bigots".  The full quote read: “Continued trouble in the economy gives the bigots a stick to beat us with, as they demand we 'postpone' the equalities agenda in order to deal with 'the things people really care about'. As if pursuing greater equality and fixing the economy simply cannot happen at once."

As news of the Deputy Prime Minister's remarks began circulating in Westminister, Mr Clegg's team clearly had second thoughts about his frank use of words.

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