Ukip’s new Scottish MEP might be regarded as having a strange mix of views for one of Nigel Farage’s cohorts.
Members of the Euro-sceptic, right-wing populist party have found themselves in trouble for homophobic, racist and sexist comments.
David Coburn is openly gay but opposes same-sex marriage, dislikes windfarms and wants to see drugs decriminalised.
The 55-year-old air freight company boss proclaims to be “libertarian” and a “great believer” in civil partnership, although he has never got around to it despite having been in a relationship for 30 or more years.
Pointing to the riots that erupted in Paris, Mr Coburn said gay marriage breeds homophobia.
“People are happy enough to tolerate what gay people do in their relationships but I don’t think they are happy to have their noses rubbed in it over gay marriage,” he said.
“The majority of people believe marriage is a holy sacrament. I just don’t see the point of crossing the road to pick a fight with people of faith.”
Windfarms are another of his bugbears. Mr Coburn said they are expensive, push up customer bills, need back-up when the wind does not blow and bring down property prices.
Mr Coburn compared the so-called war on drugs to prohibition in America in that it “just breeds crime”.
He said all the drug squad policemen he has spoken to claim that criminalising drugs just pushes up the price.
Stressing it was his personal view, Mr Coburn said: “For years we have been trying to stop it. We would be much better knocking the bottom out of the market and treating it as a health problem the same way we do with cigarettes.
“Persuade people it is a very unhealthy occupation, stop criminalising it and take away the allure.”