by Duncan Bruce (@duncanqbruce)
As many may know its LGBT history month, a chance to reflect on the often too difficult journey equality has taken in Britain but also celebrate the achievements made in the last 15 years. I don't think many would argue that LGBT rights took a leap forward in Labour's 13 years of power with the introduction of adoption for LGBT couples and civil partnerships; but Labour left power in 2010 with still much to do and recent press seems to suggest that the Conservatives are not as keen to push forward LGBT rights as Labour were.
Plans by the coalition to bring forward legislation to allow same-sex marriage were first put in doubt when, in an article in The Independent, Conservative MP David Burrowes indicated that he was 'cautiously optimistic' of a defeat for the government and insisted that there was a 'Strong opposition to gay marriage across the Conservative Party spectrum'. Since then its been reported that several Conservative MPs have written to David Cameron asking him to drop the bill as it will damage the 'sanctity of marriage'.
How Reading's two Conservative MPs will vote when the time comes is hard to say, certainly in the past Reading East MP, Rob Wilson has not been particularly pro-LGBT rights, voting against the 2007 Equalities Act. Maybe its because I am young, but I really can't understand why the Conservative's can't support the issue of same-sex marriage, we live in a world where the marriage rate is on a decline and the number of divorces are on the rise, if two people, no matter what sex what to spend the rest of there lives together and are willing to make a commitment in terms of marriage we should be celebrating it, not suggesting that it would be damaging.
The coalition's position on LGBT rights has been further muddied today (19th February 2012) by the announcement by Michael Gove that it is okay for faith-based schools to use text books which contain homophobic discrimination. Personally I was raised Catholic, and still consider myself to be one, but I want my government to take a firm position that discrimination is not acceptable in any form in any school in this country; it can never be acceptable for young people who may be gay to feel that they are abnormal or deficient because they happen to attend a faith-based school.
Both Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg have indicated that they support same-sex marriage but neither have made comments on the issue of homophobic textbooks largely due to the story only breaking this weekend, David Cameron has indicated he will put legislation forward to allow same-sex marriage but hasn't yet indicated whether he will make it a 3-line whip or whether it will be a free vote allowing Conservative MPs to vote how they choose. For me this could be a decisive moment for the Conservative Party, they are burdened by the past and seen as out of touch, Cameron throughout the 2010 election desperately tried to distance himself from the party of Thatcher and insularism, if he cannot move his party forward into the twenty-first century and accept that half the country supports both same-sex marriage and LGBT rights then the Conservatives will crumble into parody of themselves.
Plans by the coalition to bring forward legislation to allow same-sex marriage were first put in doubt when, in an article in The Independent, Conservative MP David Burrowes indicated that he was 'cautiously optimistic' of a defeat for the government and insisted that there was a 'Strong opposition to gay marriage across the Conservative Party spectrum'. Since then its been reported that several Conservative MPs have written to David Cameron asking him to drop the bill as it will damage the 'sanctity of marriage'.
How Reading's two Conservative MPs will vote when the time comes is hard to say, certainly in the past Reading East MP, Rob Wilson has not been particularly pro-LGBT rights, voting against the 2007 Equalities Act. Maybe its because I am young, but I really can't understand why the Conservative's can't support the issue of same-sex marriage, we live in a world where the marriage rate is on a decline and the number of divorces are on the rise, if two people, no matter what sex what to spend the rest of there lives together and are willing to make a commitment in terms of marriage we should be celebrating it, not suggesting that it would be damaging.
The coalition's position on LGBT rights has been further muddied today (19th February 2012) by the announcement by Michael Gove that it is okay for faith-based schools to use text books which contain homophobic discrimination. Personally I was raised Catholic, and still consider myself to be one, but I want my government to take a firm position that discrimination is not acceptable in any form in any school in this country; it can never be acceptable for young people who may be gay to feel that they are abnormal or deficient because they happen to attend a faith-based school.
Both Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg have indicated that they support same-sex marriage but neither have made comments on the issue of homophobic textbooks largely due to the story only breaking this weekend, David Cameron has indicated he will put legislation forward to allow same-sex marriage but hasn't yet indicated whether he will make it a 3-line whip or whether it will be a free vote allowing Conservative MPs to vote how they choose. For me this could be a decisive moment for the Conservative Party, they are burdened by the past and seen as out of touch, Cameron throughout the 2010 election desperately tried to distance himself from the party of Thatcher and insularism, if he cannot move his party forward into the twenty-first century and accept that half the country supports both same-sex marriage and LGBT rights then the Conservatives will crumble into parody of themselves.
