OutUK's GAY PRE-ELECTION SOAP BOX - THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATSWith the General Election looming on Thursday 5th May, OutUK's Adrian Gillan puts spokespeople for the main political parties through his gay hustings to help gauge which one merits your precious queer vote. Richard Porter - Southwark councillor, DELGA (Liberal Democrats for Lesbian & Gay Action) chair and Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Camberwell and Peckham - argues the Lib Dems are Labour's true opposition and the Greens are a wasted vote. | |
 | "Labour say only they can deliver equality," quips DELGA (Liberal Democrats for Lesbian & Gay Action) chair Cllr Richard Porter, himself Lib Dem candidate for Camberwell and Peckham in the imminent general election. "Well they've had eight years and still haven't managed in so many key areas." |
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"Whilst one can acknowledge progress," contends Porter, "we have been badly let down by Labour. The repeal of Section 28 took nearly six years, and outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace only came on to the statute books thanks to the EU."
Porter also highlights what he claims was a government-negotiated exemption to Euro-legislation so, if you work for a faith-based employer, you can still be sacked because you are gay; and what he saw as a struggle to get the government to accept that the Civil Partnerships Bill should include provision for full pension rights; plus their inadequate handling of the problem of homophobic bullying in schools. "On gay adoption, repeal of Section 28, transgender issues and civil partnership rights," Porter lays out his queer stall, "the Lib Dems have been unanimous in their support for a change in the law. We have been at the forefront of campaigns to ensure the police are more responsive to the needs of the LGBT community, and that reports of homophobic hate crime are taken seriously. Our party leader, Charles Kennedy frequently refers to the struggle for gay equality in his speeches." | |
 | The Liberal Democrat LGBT Website |
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Indeed, the Lib Dem's election manifesto - focusing on the themes of freedom, fairness and trust - includes the flagship proposal for an Equality Act that would equalise hate crime legislation so - unlike the current situation - priority is not given to one form of discrimination over another; and that would - unlike the draft Bill currently tabled for Parliament - outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation, so it is no longer legal to (say) discriminate against a gay person in the provision of goods and services.
Encouraged that - so near a general election - some surveys of gay voters place the Lib Dems only just behind Labour and well ahead of the Tories, swanks Porter: "The Liberal Democrats have been the only party who have provided effective opposition to Labour over the past eight years. The electorate now see us as the only real alternative to Labour. I aim for us to be the party of choice for gay people by the end of the general election campaign. I think a party's stance on LGBT issues is still very important. The choice in this coming election is not between left and right, but between liberal and illiberal." "The Tories must be living on a different planet," scathes perky Porter of the merest whiff of rival opposition. "Michael Howard was part of a cabinet that introduced Section 28, resisted equalisation of the age of consent and denied gay people basic human rights for eighteen years. Hardly a record to be proud of." "Based on our electoral system," our Yellow fellow moots - perhaps a tad ironically for a Party seemingly committed to conviction politics and voting reform - "a vote for the Green Party at the general election is a wasted vote. I guarantee they will not have any MPs after the general election. Even the Greens acknowledged at their recent spring conference that they have little chance of winning any parliamentary seats. They are a one-issue party. Where do they stand on education, health and foreign affairs?" "A motion calling for marriage equality has not yet come before conference," retaliates Porter when jibed as to why the Lib Dems don't match the Greens' call for marriage equality. And on Green accusations that local Lib Dems resisted their own party's pro-gay policies in Liverpool over the setting up of a partnership register, swipes he: "Not true. Liverpool was the first council outside of London to introduce a Civil Partnership's Register. Whilst we are a party with a broad range of members and views, we are united in our belief in the underlying philosophy and principles of liberalism; freedom from the state, freedom from centralised government and freedom to live our lives in the way we choose." "We welcome diversity," Porter rounds off. "No one should suffer discrimination because they don't conform. We will fight to ensure Britain is a liberal nation, regardless of a person's sexuality. People must be free to live their lives as they think fit within society, and we each have a responsibility to let others live without fear, discrimination or prejudice." He climaxes: "This general election is the opportunity to send a message to Tony Blair that we feel let down by his government and to tell the Conservatives that their outdated right wing ideology has no place in modern Britain. Liberal Democrats offer a real alternative, restoring trust in government, pride in the nation and equal opportunities for all of our citizens." | |
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DON'T WASTE YOUR VOTEOutUK is urging every gay man in the UK to use his vote on Thursday 5th June in both the General Election and the Local Council Elections. Our coverage of the General Election will continue to update you on aspects of the campaign that affect gay men.Stonewall are also encouraging us all to vote tactically and you can find out more about their excellent website using this link:
Right up until election day, and after we will also continue to bring you information on the issues that affect gay men. OutUK Reporter Adrian Gillan has been talking to spokespeople for the main political parties:
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