THEGAYUK

Tag: Politics

The latest news, interviews, and views from the world of LGBT politics in the UK and internationally.

  • No To Gay Marriage In Northern Ireland For Fourth Time

    The lesbian, gay and bisexual community in Northern Ireland have suffered another blow to their equal rights as the NI Assembly rejects a motion for the fourth time.

    96 MLAs took part in a vote for same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland, 49 of them voted against the Sinn Féin promoted motion, despite a Belfast Telegraph poll in September 2014, showing that a majority of the Northern Ireland population supporting same-sex marriage. 40.1 per cent of those surveyed supported equal marriage, while 39.4% opposed it. 20.5% had no opinion on it either way.

    With Sinn Féin, SDLP and five Alliance MLA’s supporting the proposal, the DUP and Unionists road blocked the bill which would see all LGBs given equality in marriage. All DUP members voted against it and of 53 unionists, just four voted in favour.

    Marriage is a devolved issue for the United Kingdom. Gay couples in England and Wales were afforded their rights on 13th March 2014 and couples in Scotland on 16th December 2014. Couples in Northern Ireland are at this time only permitted to have civil partnerships.

  • Tories Have The Most Out Candidates At 2015 Election

    LGBTory, the Conservative Party LGBT group, is proud to announce that at next month’s general election the Conservatives will be fielding 37 out candidates in constituencies up and down the country.

    This will be the highest number of out candidates selected by any party. Based on figures by Professor Andrew Reynolds of the University of North Carolina, Tories led the way with openly LGBT candidates at 37, against the Lib Dems and Labour’s 35 out candidates. Green has 23 and UKIP has 5.

    LGBTory Chairman Colm Howard-Lloyd said:

    “This impressive number of candidates builds on the Conservative Party’s record of having more out MPs than the other major parties put together.

    “We are pleased to have 12 out former MPs re-standing as well as to have selected gay candidates in winnable seats such as Bath, Blackpool South and North East Derbyshire.

    “The Conservative-led government’s achievements on LGBT rights have been transformational with same-sex couples in England and Wales being able to marry from March last year.

    “We have also seen £2 million distributed to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools, as well as the law, changed to allow gay men to apply for convictions for consensual gay sex to be disregarded. There is a pledge in the Conservative Party’s election manifesto to issue a pardon for historical gay sex convictions if elected in May.”

    Out candidates have been selected in every region of Great Britain. LGBTory patron Ruth Davidson MSP is also leading the Conservatives’ campaign in Scotland.

    Below is a list of out Conservative candidates along with details of the constituency in which they are standing:

  • Should Gay People Vote Purely On Parties’ Record On Gay Rights?

    I’ll jump straight in and start by stating the bleeding obvious, that I don’t think gay people should be voting purely on political parties’ record on gay rights.

    I believe there is a much bigger picture that needs to be looked at. Sexuality should not define us as individuals and although we have some way to go until things are really equal for us, I feel that there are more pressing issues that should be given consideration at this time.

    With just just under two weeks to go until the General Election, it’s looking like it will be a close battle between Labour and the Conservative Party, with losses likely for the Liberal Democrats and some gains for UKIP. The campaigning is ramping up a gear with each rise of the sun and the various political parties have been releasing their manifestos.

    As part of the manifestos, most of the political parties have mentioned LGBT rights and the Labour Party have a specific LGBT manifesto. It’s great that the parties are being mindful of LGBT rights and it shows what great progress has been made in recent times. However, it could also be seen as an attempt to win the ‘pink vote’ and I’m cautious of voting for a political party just because they have pledged to do the most for gay people.

    The last Labour government did a lot for gay people; lowering the age of consent, repealing the ban on gay people serving in the armed forces, repealing Section 28, introducing civil partnerships, and a whole host of other equality legislation. The current Conservative-Lib Dem Coalition has introduced marriage equality for gay people and set up a £2 million fund to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools.

    The Green Party have always been supportive of full equality for gay people. Then there’s UKIP, who despite having some truly awful characters in their ranks and being the only main political party not to address LGBT rights in their manifesto, have an LGBT network.

    In fact, at this year’s Warwickshire Pride festival, which I organise, so far UKIP are the only political party to book a stall there.

    Now I’m by no means a UKIP supporter, but the point I am making is that all of the political parties have aspects that could appeal to a gay voter. But as mentioned previously, there is so much more to take into consideration.

    If you cut me open, my blood is red (take from that what you will). I know exactly who I’ll be voting for on May 7th. The issues that matter to me are the economy, protecting the NHS, and supporting the most vulnerable in our society. The state of the country and our society as a whole is more important to me than my individual rights. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one (fans of Star Trek will recognise that quote).

    It would be wrong of me to tell you who you should be voting for. Ultimately you will know what your values are and where you stand on certain issues. What I will plead though, is that you at least exercise your right to vote. You never know; it could be your vote that counts the most.

     

    by @MrDanielBrowne

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • COMMENT | Pinks For The Blues Or Reds?

    There are only two real players that could be Top-of-the-Pops in this years General Election come May 7th. Let’s not beat around the Mulberry, burnt orange soft grain leather weekend bag, Ed Miliband or David Cameron will be residing at number ten whatever the result.

    The chart-topper will probably have to share a piece of the action with a lesser party, embarking on yet another coalition. Either way, Ed or David will hold the majority of clout.

    The UK would obviously be a more harmonious, Telly-Tubby-like place to live if the Green Party were elected. Everyone would do away with cars and annual travel cards and walk, cycle or skip to work come blustery showers and cheek-freezing winters. Plus we’d purr like kittens in our boudoirs at night, safe in the knowledge if we were threatened by a nuclear attack the country could do sod all in defence. Not practical, unless the Greens send the other countries with nukes seductive sonnets, on recycled paper of course, convincing them to disarm their missiles as well.

    Nigel Farage – what a guy. Spitting Image would have gone to town, three major cities and punched not only the air but a couple of Boeing 747s to make a latex puppet of him. Although, he’s doing the muppet thing quite well on his own. This is the chap, back in December last year, that defended comments made by former UKIP activist Kerry Smith. Kerry called gay party members “disgusting poofters”.

    Nick Clegg should be aware that liberal, open-minded and generous-hearted Carol Vorderman was out the Countdown door when her time was up.

    Attitude Magazine’s May issue asked Farage, “Where do you think we should be turning our attention next in terms of LGBT rights?”. Nigel poetically answered: “Is there anything? You tell me”. Clearly Farage, and matters relating to the LGBT community spend as much time together as Sam-Cam and Justine Thornton (Miliband’s trouble-and-strife).

    So, is it the Reds or the Blues who will win the pink votes?

    The Same-Sex-Marriage Act was passed during the Conservatives reign. But the Blues didn’t give same-sex couples the same inheritance and pension rights as heterosexual couples.

    The gay marriage act didn’t stand a hope in Heaven without the Liberal Democrats help, or Labour MPs like Ray Collins and Waheed Ali. They propelled the Same-Sex-Marriage Act through the House of Lords. 128 Tory MPs voted against gay wedlock, only 117 voted for rainbow confetti affairs.

    David Cameron gives the perception he’d be happy to hang out with lesbians and have a cheeky wiggle down at XXL. The Cams would no doubt be scintillating company on your table at a homo wedding – they’ve probably been to loads. Is it a case of wolf in wool tailor-made suit worth £3500? How genuine are the Conservatives as a whole for gay rights?

    The Reds passed the Civil Partnership Bill and scrapped Section 28, and in doing so equalised the age of consent, fertility treatments, adoption rights and allowed gays in the armed services to come out.

    Let’s not brush under the silk Isfahan rug that Cameron voted against the annulment of Section 28 in 2003. Furthermore, the Tories were the only major party in the last game of ‘I Want To Be Prime Minister’ with the same amount of gay policies as UKIP in this year’s election. Zero.

    Ed Miliband told Attitude, “I’m determined to be a warrior against injustice and for great equality”. Ed just might be able to pull-off chest armour, a leather skirt and a plumed helmet. Labour hasn’t had the reluctance over the year for flying the rainbow flag like the blues.

    Michael Cashman has been appointed the rainbow superhero on LGBT issues worldwide for Labour. Where’s the Tories’ pink MP?

    Who’s most likely to support gay Soho, fight for equality around the globe and perhaps lower the cost of Hermès? One of these parliamentary-plonkers will be chief. I’m voting for the reds in my constituency.
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    Vote clever team.

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Pizza4Equality Raises $155,000

    With over 4115 individual donations and a massive 62,000 social shares, Pizza4Equality, a campaign with aims to raise money for homeless LGBT youth has raised an incredible $155,000.

    The campaign was started initially as a counter to a fundraiser for a pizza parlour, Memories Pizza,  in Indiana that said it would discriminate against a gay couple. After national press exposure, the owners went on to receive in excess of $800,000 in donations to keep their business afloat.

    All proceeds of the Pizza4Equality fund will go to Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Foundation, an organisation dedicated to helping LGBT Youth on the streets.

    A user on the crowd funding site, Christa Sheehan, wrote:

    I see this campaign’s a flop! So much for outshowing Memories Pizza! LOL #praiseHim”

    However the fund’s creator, Scott Wooledge countered,

    “But we’ve raise $155,000 to help LGBTQ homeless youth! So how can that be a ‘flop?’ We at #Pizza4Equality are super-proud and you should be too! Thank you!”

    The fund is collecting until the 29th April, the first national #40ToNoneDay – a day set up by the True Colors foundation to end LGBT youth homelessness.

  • Even Kids Are Saying Yes To Gay Marriage In Ireland

    The folks behind the “YES” Campaign in Ireland’s Referendum for Marriage Equality are doing such an amazing job.

     

    Hot on the trail of the Video we shared with you the other day comes another wee heartwarming film about what children think of it all. If this doesn’t move those voters who are still sitting on the fence on the issue, then nothing will.

     

  • David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband praise HIV prevention drug PrEP

    HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust has welcomed comments in support of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) from party leaders David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband.

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  • Six things we learnt this week Ed Says No, Erections, Newzoids, Gay Cures, Hopkins and Sue

    With the opposition leaders raging, sorry debating each other this week, we found that Ed Miliband is not prepared to go into partnership with Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP party.

    (Source Daily Mail)

    We finally found out why we men get a stiffy in the morning… Thank goodnness (Source TheGayUK)

    Newzoids, ITV’s long awaited satirical look at modern life didn’t quite fulfil our wishes and needs. ( Source: Telegraph)

    40,000 people said no to a Christian church bringing gay cure speakers to the UK. (Source TheGayUK)

    Petition overdrive demanding that The Sun fire Katie Hopkins over her “gunship” article . (Source: Huffington Post)

    Sue Perkins leaves Twitter after hateful homophobic trolling (Source Guardian)

  • Irish Gay Marriage Vote: Bring Your Family With You

    A recent poll in Ireland found that 76% of adults believe that that same–sex couples should have a right to marry, now they just have to get them to the Polling Stations on May 22 to vote YES on the national referendum o marriage equality.

    The Irish LGBT advocacy group BeLonG To Youth Services has produced a touching ad to make sure people get out and vote … We defy anyone to watch this and not start to get watery eyes.

    If the referendum passes, (or hopefully ‘when’) the following line will be added to the country’s constitution: “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.”

    Share this video with anyone you know who may know an Irish voter.

     

  • France Defends Its Openly Gay Ambassador To The Vatican

    For the second time in the past decade the Catholic Church are allegedly refusing to recognise the France’s nomination as their Ambassador to the Vatican.

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  • There’s Only One Nigel Farage…

    Depending on your political stance, this may come as good news or bad… There is only one Nigel Farage listed on 192.com

    The UK’s leading online people directory has checked and it’s official, there really is only one Nigel Farage. However it appears your chances of running into a David Cameron are quite high with 192.com revealing there are over 300 of them appearing on the Open Electoral Register.

    Natalie Bennett and Leanne Woods also appear on the register quite frequently; and there is a shock for Nicola Sturgeon as her namesakes are more prevalent south of the border with over 85% of them being based in England.

    Whilst there is only one Nigel Farage on the register, 192.com discovered that Ed Miliband is also equally as unique, setting him apart from previous Labour leaders, such as Tony Blair who has 116 namesakes and Gordon Brown who shares his name with whopping 1,320 registered voters.

    Here are the full results:

    • David Cameron 380
    • Nick Clegg 40
    • Nigel Farage 1
    • Ed Miliband 1
    • Nicola Sturgeon 14
    • Natalie Bennett 178
    • Leanne Wood 132

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    Recently, the gay community in Wakefield, was shocked when one of its local boozers, The Harewood Arms, opened its doors to UKIP rallies and meetings.

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    Product Director Dominic Blackburn at 192.com commented: “After the Election debates these are the names on everyone’s lips, in addition to this being the closest fought election in decades it is also set to be the most diverse and we move further away from two party politics. Depending on your political persuasion you might be either thrilled or horrified to be sharing a street with a David Cameron, however you can always find out by visiting 192.com”

    Both Nigel Farage and Ed Miliband proved to be more unique that some famous literary figures, you are more likely to run in to one of the 439 James Bonds or even the 179 Harry Potters. 192.com is clear to point out that neither Nigel or Ed are secret agents or have magical powers their names are just rarer.

    192.com has also handily heat mapped the location of the political leaders doppelgängers so you can find out if your local area is Nicola Sturgeon rich or even filled with Nick Cleggs.

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