Mugabe thugs left me with brain damage, says Tatchell

Regret: Peter Tatchell says beatings and a bus accident mean he will have to abandon his bid to become a Green MP
12 April 2012

Equality campaigner Peter Tatchell today revealed he has brain damage from being beaten up by Robert Mugabe's thugs and is having to abandon a bid to become an MP.

He said the beating in 2001 when attempting to "arrest" the Zimbabwe dictator on a visit to Brussels had left him slower, prone to mistakes and with permanent damaged vision.

Another attack in 2007, this time by gay-hating neo-Nazis in Moscow, and a bus accident last year had compounded the injuries and forced him to cut down his work.

"It is with great regret and reluctance that I am standing down as candidate," said the OutRage! founder. "My brain injuries from the Mugabe and Moscow bashings mean that I would not be able to campaign effectively in the general election or do the duties required of an MP, if I was elected."

Mr Tatchell, 57, was due to stand as Green Party candidate for Oxford East at next year's general election but doctors advised him to step down.

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