Editing Roger Helmer (section)

===Views on sexuality===
On 19 July 2009, on his blog, Helmer defended the Polish [[Law and Justice]] MEP, and chairman of the ECR, [[Michał Kamiński]] from accusations of [[homophobia]]. He went on to write that homophobia does not exist and that the word: "is merely a propaganda device" designed to "denigrate and stigmatise those holding conventional opinions."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rogerhelmermep.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/poles-take-some-stick/|title=Poles take some stick|last=Helmer|first=Roger|date=19 July 2009|access-date=11 August 2009}}</ref>

On 11 August 2009, Helmer defended himself against criticism of comments he had made, saying he was not claiming "that there is no discrimination, and that homosexuals do not suffer violence and prejudice from people because sadly, we all know that is not the case." but rather, he states, that the word homophobia has "no meaning" because he has "never met anyone with an irrational fear of homosexuals" and claims that the term is a propagandist one created by the "militant gay rights lobby."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Tory-MEP-defends-his-homophobia.5540798.jp|title=Tory MEP defends his homophobia comment|date=11 August 2009|work=Northampton Chronicle and Echo |access-date=11 August 2009}}</ref>

In March 2012, Helmer spoke out in support of Cardinal [[Keith O'Brien]], the leader of the [[Roman Catholic Church in Scotland]], who had [[Keith O'Brien#Homosexuality|earlier condemned]] the government's plans to introduce [[same-sex marriage]] as a "grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right." Although he had formerly been critical of the Roman Catholic Church, labelling it "systematically [[paedophile]]", Helmer praised O'Brien's statement, opining that "Christian moral principles are not a bad basis for a free and fair society". He furthermore commented that "once you start to tamper with the institution of marriage, you get into some very murky water indeed", and that such a move could set a precedent that would lead to the legalisation of [[communal marriage]] and [[incest]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/03/06/new-ukip-mep-will-gay-marriage-not-lead-to-incest/ |title=New UKIP MEP: Will gay marriage lead to incest? |date=6 March 2012 |newspaper=Pink News }}</ref>

Following accusations of homophobia, UKIP leader Nigel Farage confirmed that Helmer had relaxed his views on homosexuality in recent years, describing him as "somebody of 70 years of age who grew up with a strong Christian Bible background. He grew up in an age when homosexuality was actually imprisonable, and he had a certain set of views which he maintained for many years which he now says he accepts the world's moved on and he's relaxed about."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/11/nigel-farage-defends-ukip-candidate-roger-helmer-previous-anti-gay-remarks|title=Nigel Farage defends Ukip byelection candidate over anti-gay remarks|work=The Guardian|date=11 May 2014}}</ref>

Ahead of the [[2014 Newark by-election]], Helmer gave an interview to ''[[The Mail on Sunday]]'', in which he said the NHS should fund the discredited [[gay conversion therapy]], comparing it to sex-changes and [[homeopathy]].<ref name="Pinknews20140601">{{cite web |url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/06/01/ukip-mep-roger-helmer-nhs-should-fund-gay-cure-therapy/ |title=UKIP MEP Roger Helmer: NHS should fund 'gay cure' therapy · PinkNews.co.uk |newspaper=Pinknews.co.uk |date=June 2014 |access-date=12 October 2014}}</ref><ref name="Huffingtonpo20140601">{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/06/01/ukip-mep-roger-helmer-nhs-gay-cure_n_5427003.html |title=UKIP MEP Roger Helmer Says NHS Should Fund 'Gay Cure Therapy' |newspaper=HuffPost |access-date=12 October 2014}}</ref> He later told ''[[The Independent]]'' that his views had been misrepresented by the paper's editor.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ukip-mep-responds-to-gay-cures-on-the-nhs-reported-comments-9469790.html|title=Ukip MEP responds to 'gay cures on the NHS' reported comments|author=Antonia Molloy|work=The Independent|date=2 June 2014|access-date=2 June 2014}}</ref>

====Use of massage parlour====
In October 2014, Helmer was photographed visiting a "sleazy massage parlour" in [[Lutterworth]]. He told ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' "MEPs are entitled to a private life. I work extremely hard and when I do occasionally have time off I enjoy a massage."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/MEP-Roger-Helmer-insists-private-life-s-business/story-23103674-detail/story.html|title=MEP Roger Helmer insists that his private life is no one's business after he was seen entering a massage parlour in Lutterworth|author=PA_Warzynski|publisher=gleicestermercury.co.uk|date=11 December 2010|location=Leicester|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013002043/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/MEP-Roger-Helmer-insists-private-life-s-business/story-23103674-detail/story.html|archive-date=13 October 2014}}</ref> The following day he confirmed the story, telling the ''[[Derby Telegraph]]'' that "I think ''The Sun'' quoted me quite well and I don't have anything to add to that".<ref name="DerbyTelegraph_20141013">{{cite web |url=http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Ukip-MEP-Roger-Helmer-visits-sleazy-massage/story-23117245-detail/story.html |title=Ukip MEP Roger Helmer 'visits sleazy massage parlour' |newspaper=The Derby Telegraph |date=12 October 2014 |access-date=13 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014191621/http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Ukip-MEP-Roger-Helmer-visits-sleazy-massage/story-23117245-detail/story.html |archive-date=14 October 2014  }}</ref>