LGBT Labour decided not to endorse any candidate for the deputy leadership at its recent AGM but to write to all six candidates asking them their views on LGBT rights and equality. The candidates were asked:

1. There have been major developments in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Rights under this Labour Government. What have you personally done to advance LGBT rights during your political career?
2. Lots done, lots to be done. Where do you see the opportunity for future progress of LGBT Rights and how can you help bring this about?
3. Government now estimates that lesbians, gay men and bisexuals comprise 6% of the general population. However, the number of openly-gay, especially women, MPs and peers is much smaller with no openly gay MPs representing London, Brighton and Manchester. What would you do as Deputy Leader to ensure fair representation of LGBT people in Parliament?
4. Stonewall and LGBT Labour strongly support a new criminal offence of incitement to homophobic hatred, to match existing protections for race. Will you support that in the forthcoming Criminal Justice Bill?

Candidates have been asked to respond by Wednesday 6th June. The answers will be put on the LGBT Labour website www.lgbtlabour.org.uk.

Recent Update On This Article

6 June 2007

Below are the responses from one of the candidates, Hazel Blears, which might be of interest:

1. There have been major developments in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Rights under this Labour Government. What have you personally done to advance LGBT rights during your political career?

As well as voting in parliament for all the measures the Government has introduced to advance rights for LGBT people, as a Home Office Minister I oversaw the government making homophobic attacks a recordable offence. This has made a considerable difference and is something I am proud to have on my record.

2. Lots done, lots to be done. Where do you see the opportunity for future progress of LGBT Rights and how can you help bring this about?

As Deputy Leader I want to be the Minster for Delivery – making sure the manifesto on which you and I campaigned is implemented. An important outstanding issue is the Single Equalities legislation that I would make sure is complete by the following general Election.

I think other future progress comes in the following forms:

Domestic legislation:

• I support making "inciting homophobic hate" a criminal offence.
• We need equality in the immigration system, with proper training for immigration staff.
• We need more specialist prosecutors within the criminal justice system to enforce laws which protect LGBT people from homophobic violence and abuse. We need a much higher conviction rate.

Culture change:

• We need to do more to identify homophobic bullying – for example a policy in every school, training for teachers, and training for the community police in schools. I recently launched the national Beat Bullying campaign with Gordon Brown and Kelly Holmes, and it is a really big issue.
• LGBT teachers need more support in schools, and we need to recognise and utilise the important perspectives and support gay teachers bring into a school.

Trans Issues:

• There is a European directive about not discriminating in good and services that should be signed on by Dec 2007, and I believe the government should support this.
• We need to remove the difficulties in marriage and civil partnerships if you have the operation to change genders.
• We also must recognise ‘transphobia’ as a form of discrimination that should be outlawed with appropriate support in bullying policies or hate crime reporting legislation.

Within the party, I would welcome a change to the rules from talking about not discrimination on the basis of “sexuality” but “sexual orientation and gender identity”.

International Issues:

• I support the campaign in the UN urging the universal decriminalization of homosexuality across the globe focusing on the 9 countries where it is still punishable by death.
• The FCO could do more to support LGBT holiday-makers.
• We should use diplomatic efforts to persuade other countries to allow pride events, for example in Russia.

3. Government now estimates that lesbians, gay men and bisexuals comprise 6% of the general population. However, the number of openly-gay, especially women, MPs and peers is much smaller with no openly gay MPs representing London, Brighton and Manchester. What would you do as Deputy Leader to ensure fair representation of LGBT people in Parliament?

I would encourage the NEC to monitor our selection and recruitment processes, and establish training and mentoring schemes – like with all equalities we need the greatest focus on supporting women (in this case lesbian, bisexual and trans women) into political roles. We also need party reform, to make Labour Party activity more enjoyable and accessible. It is important to not just focus on Parliament but our representation in local authorities, devolved legislatures and in the European Parliament.

I would be a strong voice to challenge cultural issues on why people don’t want to be ‘out’ in public life, welcome the diversity of our debating chambers and the better decisions that will be made when they better reflect the people we represent.

4. Stonewall and LGBT Labour strongly support a new criminal offence of incitement to homophobic hatred, to match existing protections for race. Will you support that in the forthcoming Criminal Justice Bill?

Yes. I think this will strengthen the package of issues that the Government are seeking to address in the Criminal Justice Bill already and will make a difference to the quality of LGBT people’s lives.

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