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This Tory MP Is Delighted People Are Attacking Her For Backing Same-Sex Marriage

"Thanks, bigots."

This leaflet from the Coalition for Marriage is dropping on doormats across Totnes, Devon, to remind voters that Sarah Wollaston voted for same sex-marriage.

'Coalition for marriage' are stuffing these through letter boxes in my area. Thanks bigots, I'm proud of that vote!

The Tory candidate, who is running for re-election, told BuzzFeed News the leaflet was a "badge of honour" and said she would "make no excuse" for backing same-sex marriage.

"The first time I heard of it was I had a few of my constituents email in to say how offended they'd been by it," she said of the leaflet, which urges people to use their vote to support "true marriage".

"Essentially, it's pretty much saying to people who are same-sex couples that 'yours isn't a true marriage'," Wollaston said. "And I think it'll backfire on them. How do they think that feels to a same-sex couple who got married when the legislation went through?"

Wollaston was among 366 MPs who voted for the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill in 2013. Some 161 MPs, mainly Tory, voted against it.

"I consider it a badge of honour, frankly," she said. "I make no excuse – I'm very proud to have voted for equality."

But she came under fire from some people, including Tory MEP Daniel Hannan, for using the word "bigots".

@sarahwollaston I'd have voted the same way as you, Sarah, but it's possible to disagree with us without being a bigot.

Wollaston said: "Now, of course, I'm getting flak from people saying I'm calling people who disagree with me bigoted.

"I'm not – of course people are free to disagree with me. But I think they should be aware that actually it's pretty offensive to have that land in your letterbox uninvited."

She added that the Coalition for Marriage's attacks were nothing compared to being dive-bombed by a seagull "the size of a swan" while on the campaign trail.

She said the gull "literally flew into my face" and snatched her ice cream. "Fortunately no one caught a picture of it."

The Coalition for Marriage, an umbrella group that supports "traditional marriage", said it was not endorsing any political party.

It said it has sent similar leaflets out to constituencies across the country, highlighting the voting records of MPs who opposed same-sex marriage and those who supported it.

Colin Hart, the group's campaign director, told BuzzFeed News: "The Coalition for Marriage is fully engaged in the democratic process by highlighting the voting record of members of parliament on the important issue of the redefinition of marriage.

"This was done with little or no consultation, was not in any of the main parties' manifestos, and has many serious consequences, which we are seeing now."

He pointed to the case of a Christian bakery in Northern Ireland that was taken to court "because they refused to bake a cake for a campaign group promoting gay marriage".