Morning:
0°c
Gordon Brown pledges to stand with gay people until 'justice is achieved'
25 Feb 2010Gordon Brown pledged to stand with gay people until "justice was achieved".
The prime minister said progress had been made because the Government had "fought together" with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community.
Speaking at a reception at 10 Downing Street last night, he promised not to give up on the campaign.
"We reaffirm our commitment, my commitment, the commitment of the Government to standing with you all until the full range of gay rights are achieved," he said.
"When we started as a Government on this journey, people said the dreams that we had together were impossible."
Mr Brown singled out steps taken in the last decade, including lifting the ban on lesbians and gay men serving in the armed forces, allowing same sex couples to have civil partnerships and to adopt.
He said: "We did all these things and more because we stood and fought together.
"Let me promise you I will not give up on the fight for justice until justice is achieved.
"The road to equality is always long and it's always hard and it's always tough.
"But as long as Harriet (Harman) and I and other ministers are able to work with you, I promise you that nobody ever need walk the road to equality alone."
The reception was hosted by the Prime Minister and his wife Sarah to celebrate LGBT history month.
A number of members of the armed forces attended, in honour of the 10-year anniversary of the ban being lifted, along with celebrities including comedian Paul O'Grady, actor Antony Cotton and Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood.
Asked about the significance of an invitation to an event at Number 10 for gay people, O'Grady said: "I was standing having a shave earlier and I thought Oscar Wilde would be turning in his grave.
"It would never have happened. Even 20 years ago it was unthinkable. It shows you what great steps have been made."
Cotton, who plays Sean Tully in Coronation Street, said: "It's an important and very special event for us.
"We are very lucky in this country in some ways because we finally have the right to get married and to live equal lives.
"But unfortunately in other countries there are people who are killed for being who they are. That's unacceptable, so the fight continues."
Mr Brown spoke of the "debt of gratitude" owed to British service personnel as he addressed the guests.
Leading Logs Lee Fadden, 26, based at HMS Nelson in Portsmouth, said: "I feel very proud. I think it's a landmark - to be at No 10 celebrating LGBT history. It's only going to help make things more equal."
Mr Brown also congratulated a policeman on his civil partnership a fortnight ago - which came four months after he was injured in a homophobic attack.
Pc James Downey-Parkes, 22, was off duty when he was assaulted during a night out in Liverpool city centre in October, suffering multiple skull fractures and fracturing his cheekbone and eye socket.
Pc Downey-Parkes said he and 21-year-old Tom, a healthcare assistant, were "shocked" when they found out the prime minister would mention them.
"I feel over the moon to be here," he said. "I never thought I would be at an event like this."
Reader views (37)
As a bisexual man I would prefer the government sorts out the economy, the pound and stops giving away my money to people who do not deserve it. I would also prefer not to be 'helped' by Harriet Harman in any way.
- Jon, london, 25/02/2010 20:31
Report abuse
Glondon, uk
When the military goes completely unisex and gives up worrying about separation of the sexes, then your argument about homosexual suitability for military service would make more sense.
The reason they separate sexes is because there's way too many issues that will rear their ugly head if men and women were to share the same barrack rooms. Yet you think the difference in sexuality between two men would make no difference?
What planet are you from?
While I'm sure you could find someone who knew someone whose pet cat used to belong to someone who.... (in other words, exceptions) - I did 22 years both in Armour and the medical services. Most soldiers could care less about what people do in private... the trouble being that there is very little privacy in single soldier accommodation and in their 'workplace'. I always found soldiers less tolerant when homosexuality was in their face, take it or leave it. That is reality rather than your "it SHOULD be okay, just because..." dreaming.
- Rogan, Irving, 25/02/2010 18:42
Report abuse
If you want this p#### to stand up for our rights, then so be it, but not in my name.
- Terry, london, 25/02/2010 18:37
Report abuse
Daniel, London
So you agree with me then that the solution to the problems you highlight, is about education rather than political opportunism from a discredited PM who will say and do anything to retain power, by this public sycophancy to an issue that componds the notion of minority rather than diluting it?
- John Bloomfield, Twickenham, 25/02/2010 15:54
Report abuse
Daniel, your dismissal of the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomatoes is typical of the crypto-fascist anti-sandwich brigade! BLTs have been around and suffered constant repression from the vegetarian community since well before 'LGBT' was coined.
- Paul, London, 25/02/2010 15:33
Report abuse
And who are the BLT community - The Bacon, Lettuce and Tomatoes?
It's LGBT. Good grief.
- Daniel, London, 25/02/2010 14:49
Report abuse
Good god, some of these comments are deranged. How dare the PM suggest gay people have the same rights as straight people?! What a socialist!!
Can one of you explain just what extra benefits gay people get - do you think we get a special voucher to buy shoes, handbags and Madonna records. Some of you should try living under the threat of being beaten up if you kiss your partner hello, or get sacked from your job because of your sexuality. The real reason this country is going down the drain is because the sheer stupidity and ignornace of the public as displayed on here. You'd think you'd all have better things to be worried about rather than gay equality. I wonder what any of you do other than sit of your fat behinds watching reality TV shows and writing emails to newspapers about how much you hate Katie Price etc. Wake up.
- Daniel, London, 25/02/2010 14:46
Report abuse
No Gordon Brown is not coming out, he is just a man at ease with his sexuality which obviously is more than can be said for some of you here. It is all about fighting against discrimination, what can be wrong with that? Gay people do not ask for priviledges or special treatment, just equality.
- Come Up And See Me Sometimes, London, 25/02/2010 14:09
Report abuse
Brown would 'stand together' with battery hens, laboratory mice and probably one legged blind Klingons if he thought they'd vote for him. Funny how he's getting all touchy feely with any and everybody two months ahead of a General Election after 13 years of Labour running roughshod over democracy.
- Paul, London, 25/02/2010 13:27
Report abuse
Don't worry about it people, it doesn't mean anything, he's just after votes.
- Sylvie, Epping Essex, 25/02/2010 13:11
Report abuse
I dont believe is right that a PC, whilst off duty, is attacked because of his sexuality, I didn't believe is right, that a serving soldier could have been sacked because of his sexuality. I also didn't believe it was right that a same sex couple who may have been together for 40 years be denied the same rights in death (pension, property and inheritance tax) as as married couples. These are reasonable requests for a fair and equal society which all parties subscribe to.
- Glondon, uk, 25/02/2010 12:52
Report abuse
'When the average person hears socialists talk of 'justice' and 'equality', they know it means favoured treatment for ethnic minorities, ' - Totally Confused, Ex London
No they don't. Stop externalising onto the rest of the general public.
'Some jobs have actually been specially designed to favour and promote these people over others'
Give details of one single government funded job or example of favouritism that resulted from the equalisation of the age of consent or civil partnership act.
- James, London, 25/02/2010 12:49
Report abuse
This is not the USA but the UK where there is not, and never has been, a gay vote. Even when the Conservatives were at their most homophobic the political preferences of my many gay friends reflected that of the electorate at large and of those who, including myself, supported Labour or the Liberals none did so primarily because of gay issues. However, there could well be a latent anti-gay element amongst voters at the next election if a party is seen to be cultivating gay people. Gays are perceived as being relatively wealthy (the pink pound and all that), feted by the media and unduly influential in political circles. This could well be resented by voters who, at a time of economic insecurity, have none of these advantages.
- John, London UK, 25/02/2010 12:22
Report abuse
Gay rights are all very well but what about rights for single people? Employees frequently get benefits to which their spouses or partners, be they same sex or opposite sex, are also entitled. This means that single people are, in effect, being paid less than employees with partners who are doing the same job. Employee benefits should be available to all on an equal basis and those without partners should be able to nominate a friend or relative as the beneficiary. A few employers already do this but it should be mandatory for all to do so.
- James, London England, 25/02/2010 11:40
Report abuse
The Gay Gordons takes on a whole new meaning in light of this latest useless utterance from Kommissar Brown.
- Jacob, Britain, 25/02/2010 11:37
Report abuse
If there were any justice in the UK, Gormless U-Turn Brown would not be loitering with intent in Downing Street, making himself look a bigger idiot than he already is, by trying to curry favour with anybody as his votes slip away.
- Reuben Camara, Plot 1, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR (formerly England), 25/02/2010 11:37
Report abuse
What is he talking about? I've read the article twice and it doesn't explain what gay rights he believes are going to achieved. I was under the impression they have all the important ones. Or is this just the equivalent of Wolfie Smith going "Solidarity, comrades"?
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 25/02/2010 11:33
Report abuse
The Governemnt did not lift the ban on gays serving in the UK military. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg forced the UK to repeal the ban in 2000.
Also, if New Labour are so pro-equality then why couldn't they bring themselves to allow gays to marry, as opposed to creating civil partnership nonsense? It is still not possible for two men to marry each other.
- Ross, London, UK, 25/02/2010 11:26
Report abuse
I am sure that the gay community will be beside itself with the thought of Gordon standing firm with them.
My problem with this statement is not with the gay community itself but that there are numerous minority groups out there who need the very "justice" that Brown talks about but never seems to provide. For example, compared toi gay people, the disabled are far more badly treated in this country. They are the victims of violence just for being disabled, in the same way as gays are for being what they are. Yet, the gay community has many speokes men for it whereas the disabled, physically or mentally disabled, often do not - e.g. we have the story this week of a family allegedly abusing a relative to ensure they received his benefits payments.
- Rostov Tec', London, 25/02/2010 11:23
Report abuse
To James and Jsmroberts...
I'm sorry but it's not bigotry or unpleasantness at all. When the average person hears socialists talk of 'justice' and 'equality', they know it means favoured treatment for ethnic minorities, those with unusual sexual preferences etc etc. Some jobs have actually been specially designed to favour and promote these people over others - diversity, multiculti officers and the like.
- Totally Confused, Ex London, 25/02/2010 11:13
Report abuse
Is this a cynical ploy to curry favour and cash in on the pink vote?
- David, soton, 25/02/2010 11:03
Report abuse
James, London
Whilst your point is not unreasonable, by assuming that 'Totally Confused' is a 'white heterosexual male' and doing so in a derogatory sense, aren't you opening yourself up for the same charge of ignorance you, prima facie, are so against others being ?
- ,, London, 25/02/2010 11:00
Report abuse
Yet more cheap opportunism from the unelected PM of the UK. The only way to ensure a fairer society is to promote integration through education.
Superficial gesture politics belong to desperate megalomaniacs
- John Bloomfield, Twickenham, 25/02/2010 10:45
Report abuse
Are there not more important things for Crash Gordon to be dealing with ?
- Grim Reaper, Hell, 25/02/2010 10:42
Report abuse
It looks like our "Dear Leader" desperately scratching around for votes for himself and Harriet.
- Mark H, London England, 25/02/2010 10:40
Report abuse
He might as well support the gays - they are probably the only people who will vote for him...practically no one else will...
- Jonathan Montmorency, cooden, uk, 25/02/2010 10:37
Report abuse
I'm sick of this government wasting our time on minorities, gays and foxes.
They should govern for all, whereas in fact they have shown they can't govern at all.
- Rikrok, London, 25/02/2010 10:35
Report abuse
Is Gordon coming out?
- Fred, London
LOL
- Daisy Willets, London SW1P, 25/02/2010 10:21
Report abuse
Well, "Totally Confused" - I see from your appallingly ignorant belief (expressed above) that unpleasant and unnecessary bigotry is still alive and well?
- Jsmroberts, East Sussex UK, 25/02/2010 10:07
Report abuse
How does Sarah really feel about her husbands leanings.
- Davey_Bouy, Chertsey, 25/02/2010 09:59
Report abuse
Well there's a surprise.
- Peter, kings lynn,england, 25/02/2010 09:59
Report abuse
Justice for all is what we want every weekend someone is killed by thoughtless thugs.they do not have to be of any section of our diverse country.Gordon is just playing for votes.Lock up these thugs and the problem will stop.
- David Smith, london, 25/02/2010 09:57
Report abuse
'This "justice" will no doubt be that the minority BLT "community" will have rights, benefits, privileges and favouritism that the majority can only dream about.
- Totally Confused, Ex London'
Like what exactly? The ability to get married? Not to be attacked in the street for who you are? Not to be sectioned for having natural urges?
There is something truly pathetic about white heterosexual males (as I assume you must be) whining when the world is only 95% built for them alone instead of 100%.
- James, London, 25/02/2010 09:57
Report abuse
err read the peice again and then retract
- Duncan, Kent, 25/02/2010 09:40
Report abuse
How about standing with *all* of your electorate - you remember them, surely, those little people who gave your party the mandate to govern??
Standing up for the rights of those who actually pay for all these woolly initiatives that designed to benefit vocal minority groups at the expense of the majority would be quite appreciated, too...
- Anon, England, 25/02/2010 09:33
Report abuse
Is Gordon coming out?
- Fred, London, 25/02/2010 09:18
Report abuse
This "justice" will no doubt be that the minority BLT "community" will have rights, benefits, privileges and favouritism that the majority can only dream about.
- Totally Confused, Ex London, 25/02/2010 08:32
Report abuse
