World-famous debating society, The Oxford Union, has invited three gay hate camapigners to promote their views on gay parenting.

The debate at Oxford University in southern England, one of the world’s most famous educational establishments, will take place on Thursday (17 January) with well-known homophobes Scott Lively, Winston McKenzie and Peter D Williams invited to take part.

Nick Griffin, far right leader of the British National Party (BNP), had to be ‘un-invited’ from the debate after The Oxford Union claimed a member acting ‘without authorization’ asked him to speak, reported The Oxford Times weekly.

The three other invited speakers are to debate a motion ‘This House Would be Glad to Have Gay Parents’, however, they are infamous in their anti-gay stance.

The invitations by The Oxford Union have been sharply criticized by gay rights campaigners.

Scott Lively, founder the Abiding Truth Ministries, classified as a hate group is known of one of the most outspoken anti-gay personalities.

Lively authored ‘The Pink Swastika’, a book blaming the holocaust on gays, and is an ardent supporter of Uganda’s planned death penalty for gays (Kill the Gays Bill) and on record as saying homosexuality is a ‘global threat’.

Lively is also facing a civil action for inciting hatred by Ugandan LGBT activists.

Winston McKenzie, is the UK Independence Party culture spokesperson, and is on record as saying that gay adoption is like throwing kids to ‘dogs’.

Peter D Williams, spokesperson for Catholic Voices is an opponent of gay marriage which he dubbed as a ‘socially harmful’ to children. He has stated that if passed as law it may lead to polygamy.

According to the daily Oxford Times, the famous debating society had to withdraw Griffin’s invitation to the debate on Thursday, claiming it was sent without ‘clearance’ to the BNP leader.

But BNP press officer Simon Darby said: ‘I think they’ve been bullied and intimidated out of it by the National Union of Students, which is very sad.’

LGBT rights campaigners slammed Oxford Union choice of speakers, in particular signalling out Lively.

Ruth Hunt, director of public affairs at Stonewall, a UK gay rights charity told GSN: ‘By rescinding the invitation to Griffin, The Oxford Union has conceded that some people should not be given a platform.

‘It is therefore perplexing that some of the finest minds in the country do not apply the same standards to someone who advocates the criminalization of gay people.’

Peter Tatchell, a UK human and LGBT rights advocate, told GSN: ‘It’s appalling that the Oxford Union is giving a platform to Scott Lively, who has fuelled such outrageous homophobic hatred.

‘His inflammatory rhetoric and lobbying has contributed to the homophobic witch-hunt in Uganda, including demands that gay people be executed.

‘He bears some responsibility for the “Kill the Gays” bill, which threatens the lives and freedoms of LGBT Ugandans and their straight allies.

‘The Oxford Union would never invite a speaker who had said similar things about black, Jewish or Muslim people. Why the double standards?’

Speakers for the motion include Richard Fairbrass – gay rights activist and lead vocalist for ‘Right Said Fred’, Benjamin Cohen – founder of the Out4Marriage Campaign group, and Phyll Opoku-Gyimah – co-founder of Black Pride UK.