Mr. Poots is an avowed young earth creationist, rejecting the theory of evolution. Poots once told the BBC “My view on the earth is that it’s a young earth. My view is 4,000 BC“.
‘Young earth creationism’ is a fundamental facet of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, of which Poots is a member, and other conservative evangelicals in Northern Ireland.
Poots is never far from criticism and was roundly criticised for banning blood donations from gay people in a previous capacity.
He said “I think that people who engage in high-risk sexual behaviour in general should be excluded from giving blood“.
In June 2012, Poots doubled down on his wanton crusade as he wanted to extend the ban to people who have sex “with somebody in Africa or sex with prostitutes“, stating that, in his view, this was also high-risk sexual behaviour.
In September 2013, as the North’s Health Minister he fought the ruling that would bring laws around LGBT adoption in Northern Ireland into line with other parts of the UK.
In January 2016, Poots was criticised by gender equality advocates, political commentators and politicians telling his predecessor, the newly elected First Minister Arlene Foster that her most important job was as a “wife, mother and daughter“.
Most recently in October 2020, he was criticised by Sinn Féin and the Alliance Party after saying coronavirus was more common in nationalist areas!!
He stated: “There is a difference between nationalist areas and unionist areas – and the difference is around six to one“.
The Department of Health issued a statement confirming that he indeed was spouting nonsense by reaffirming that “data on Covid infections is not collected according to religious or political affiliation“.
