MEP:'Why can't we 'turn' consenting homosexuals?'

An MEP has been caught up in a war of words after he tweeted that homosexuality could be treated as a mental health problem.
Tory Roger Helmer, who represents the East Midlands region in Brussells and whose constituency includes Northamptonshire, wrote on his Twitter account @RogerHelmerMEP on Sunday (January 16): 'Why is it OK for a surgeon to perform a sex-change operation, but not OK for a psychiatrist to try to "turn" a consenting homosexual?'
The post has attracted widespread condemnation, including calls for him to resign. And a spokesman for gay rights campaign group Stonewall, Jonathan Finney said: "It's disappointing that an elected representative seems to be supporting so-called gay therapy treatments, which are entirely discredited."
But in a subsequent Tweet posted the following day, Mr Helmer seemed to condone his comments, saying: 'Amazed by virulent response to my tweet. Regret any offence caused - but none should have been.'
And he went further when he spoke to the BBC calling his critics a 'strident minority'.
He said: "I am making a comparison between a lifestyle choice of a homosexual who would prefer not to be a homosexual and a lifestyle choice of a woman who would prefer to be a man.
"All I am saying is that homosexuals have a right, if they want to do so, to seek professional counselling and advice - I have not suggested homosexuality is something that needs to be cured."