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The idea has created heated debate since the yellow posters started popping up all over Bath.

But the man behind the ‘Minister for Men’ campaign believes it is time men and boys had political representation to deal with the issues affecting the gender.

Retired teacher and lecturer Swayne O’Pie argues that male MPs do not ‘represent men’ and do not think as a political gender group in the way that female MPs do.

As a result, he has organised a meeting for ‘The Society to Establish a Minister for Men’ for those who feel men and boys have now become ‘second-class citizens’.

However, the idea has already been criticised on social media, while Mr O’Pie told the Chronicle his posters have been ripped down and defaced.

“We simply want men and boys to be represented in our democracy,” he said.

“Male MPs don’t think as a political gender group and they don’t act as a political gender group, so they don’t represent men and boys.

(Image: Artur Lesniak/Trinity Mirror)

“Female MPs do work for women’s issues across political party lines, but no one does it for men and boys issues. The argument about having more male MPs is irrelevant.

“We’ve had posters taken down and defaced and one person wrote on our poster ‘stop telling women what to do with their bodies’, but that has nothing to do with anything.

“If men have so much power, why do we allow all these issues to exist? They are really serious issues and I have personal experience.

“Issues such as suicide, homelessness and education are allowed to persist and there is no one to help men and boys at all, which is why we need a Minister for Men.”

The backlash to the ‘Minister for Men’ campaign has already forced Mr O’Pie to cancel what was supposed to be the first meeting in Cheltenham on Monday.

He said it was due to be held in a pub, but the landlord changed his mind after a number of women complained and threatened to cause a commotion.

The meeting in Bath this evening (Oct 11) at Open House Centre in Manvers Street will now only be open to people who agree with the ‘Minister for Men’ idea, according to Mr O’Pie.

(Image: Artur Lesniak/Trinity Mirror)

“It’s basically shutting down free speech,” he said, after the Cheltenham meeting was cancelled.

“There’s something problematic when people don’t want democracy for these young men and boys.

“People know about these issues such as homelessness and boys failing at school and there is an imbalance that is not being addressed.

“Our aim is to get a Minister for Men to represent us democratically and to educate the public on male issues.

“We are expecting some demonstrations, but we want people to come along and have a place where they can discuss these issues and talk about them comfortably.”

Mr O’Pie, who authored the book Why Britain Hates Men, said he is not “anti-women” but he believes there is a need for genuine fairness and democracy for young men and boys.

He was driven to investigate the matter while studying a master’s degree in gender politics at Bath Spa University, where he said there was no men’s officer.

This led him to look at the situation in politics, highlighting that there has been a Minister for Women since 1997, but no such representative for men’s issues.

Mr O’Pie, who predominantly lives in the Cotswolds but also has a property in Bath, highlighted the high male suicide rate, homelessness, education and life expectancy as problems that need addressing.

While he said he is happy to debate with those who are against the idea for a ‘Minister for Men’, he said he does not want people trying to disrupt or 'spoil' the meeting.

“I’ll happily debate with anyone at any place and any time,” he added.

“But this meeting is only open to people who feel there is a problem that needs addressing and believes we need a Minister for Men.”

The meeting at Open House Centre in Manvers Street will take place at 7.30pm tomorrow (Oct 11). For more information email ministerformen@gmail.com