Mugabe thugs left me with brain damage, says Tatchell

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.