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Content about Politics of the United Kingdom

May 23, 2013
Scotland urged to speed up gay marriage legislation

Scots gay rights campaigners and politicians tell Scottish government to act now so that Scotland does not fall behind England and Wales in legalizing marriage equality

Scottish LGBT rights campaigners and leading politicians have called upon Scotland’s government to publish a timetable for the introduction of a marriage equality bill.

The move comes after the UK House of Commons have voted for marriage equality; with a final vote in the House of Lords expected soon, commentators say Edinburgh is falling behind England and Wales.

Speaking with Gay Star News, Colin McFarlane, director of Stonewall Scotland commented: 'The Commons overwhelmingly voted to extend the legal form of marriage to same-sex couples in England and Wales.

May 22, 2013
David Cameron: Marriage bill will help gay teens ‘stand taller’

UK Prime Minister has attempted to heal the rift in the Conservative party by saying marriage equality opponents are not 'bigoted'

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has said the equal marriage bill in England and Wales will help gay teens ‘stand that bill taller’ today.

The Conservative leader also attempted to heal divisions in his party by insisting marriage equality opponents were not ‘bigoted’.

May 22, 2013
UKIP will not kick out people who say gay sex is disgusting

Nigel Farage says UK Independence Party members who likened gay marriage to incest went 'too far' but making them leave the party will end debate in British politics

Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing UK Independence Party, says he will not expel ‘old-fashioned’ members who say gay sex is ‘disgusting’.

GSN recently reported on UKIP saying it might back gay marriage if UK leaves the European Union.

May 22, 2013
Woman who tried to drive into MP's gay marriage debate still in custody

The motives of a woman who drove through the main gates of the House of Commons as MPs voted in favor of same-sex marriage are still unclear

Despite strict security measures, a woman managed to come within yards of British MPs as they voted on the same-sex marriage bill.

At 7.15pm last night (21 May), a woman in her 40s, dressed in a hajib, drove her red Volkswagen a few meters on to the parliamentary estate at the Carriage Gates before being halted by a security ramp.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘Following a brief conversation between officers and the woman, she locked herself inside the car and refused to leave.

May 21, 2013
UK MPs vote for gay marriage in third reading

The same-sex marriage bill for England and Wales has passed its report stage and third reading in the House of Commons and will now pass to the Lords for more debate

UK Members of Parliament (MPs) have again backed the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales.

It was the third and final reading of the bill in the House of Commons.

In the vote 366 MPs voted for the bill with 161 against, a landslide majority of 205.

The last two days have seen attempts by some Conservative backbench MPs to water down the bill, meaning marriage registrars could opt out of conducting same-sex weddings and teachers wouldn’t have to tell pupils that equal marriage was the law.

Both were rejected.

May 6, 2013
British PM David Cameron pressured by own party: ‘Drop gay marriage bill’

Prime Minister David Cameron is urged his own Tory MPs to drop the gay marriage bill to secure Conservative seats in next year’s elections

British Prime Minister David Cameron has been told by his own party members to scrap the gay marriage bill.

According to According to British newspaper The Telegraph, former defense minister Sir Gerald Howarth urged Cameron to drop the gay marriage bill in order to appease Tory members considered at risk of switching support to leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage.

May 5, 2013
Male rape and assault charges ‘are completely false’ says gay MP Nigel Evans

Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans, released on bail last night after being arrested for male rape and assault charges, made a live statement today revealing he knows his accusers

Conservative MP Nigel Evans has released a statement regarding his arrest yesterday over male rape and assault charges.

In a live broadcast on SKY News this morning, Evans said: 'Yesterday I was interviewed by police concerning two complaints, one of which dates back four years, made by two people who are well-known to each other and who, until yesterday, I regarded as friends.

'The complaints are completely false and I cannot understand why they have been made, especially as I have continued to socialize with one, as recently as last week.

May 4, 2013
British gay MP Nigel Evans arrested for male rape and sex assault

Deputy Speaker of House of Commons Evans in custody being questioned by police. Prime Minister informed

Nigel Evans, one of Britain’s best-known gay Members of Parliament and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, has been arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault of two men.

Sky News broke the story with their crime correspondent Martin Brunt saying: ‘He is being questioned over two allegations, one of rape and another of sexual assault against two men, two men who I understand are in their late 20s.’

May 3, 2013
UKIP anti-gay politicians lose election

A candidate who claimed exercise prevents gayness and another who said gay sex is 'frightful sordidness' lost a UK local elections bid

Two anti-gay politicians from the United Kingdom Independent Party (UKIP) have been defeated in their bid to be elected as councilors in England.

John Sullivan, a UKIP candidate, who stated regular physical exercise in schools can 'avoided homosexuality’ failed to be elected as a Gloucestershire councilor.

Will Windsor-Clive of the Conservative party was elected on 988 votes with Sullivan 391 votes behind.

April 29, 2013
Paul O'Grady calls David Cameron 'Sheriff of Nottingham' over bedroom tax

Gay comic has said the UK Prime Minister David Cameron steals from the poor to give to the rich

Gay chat show host and author Paul O'Grady has likened David Cameron to the 'Sheriff of Nottingham', as he robs from the poor to give to the rich.

The English comic said the British government was bleeding the people dry, attacking the much lambasted 'bedroom tax'.

The tax, aimed at cutting housing benefits for people with one spare bedroom in their property, has already triggered mass demonstrations across the country.

April 28, 2013
Council candidate alleges ‘gay folk’ used by ‘evil forces’ against UKIP

UKIP party face fresh allegation of anti-gay slurs - Philip Rose, a council candidate say gay sex is ‘sordid frightfulness’, while councillor Henry Reilly suggests a ‘militant gay lobby’ is trying to impose itself on Christian churches

Philip Rose, a UK councillor candidate says ‘gay folk’ are ‘being used by forces of evil’ to halt the UK Independence Party's progress.

And Henry Reilly a Northern Ireland UKIP councillor warned that a well-financed, militant gay lobby is seeking to impose itself on Christian establishments.

April 22, 2013
Call for gay marriage supporters to lobby Britain’s House of Lords

Veteran activist Peter Tatchell warns Lords may veto same-sex marriage bill. Others say that risk is tiny – although amendments are likely

Veteran gay rights activist Peter Tatchell wants supporters to lobby the House of Lords warning they may veto same-sex marriage bill for England and Wales.

The upper house of the UK parliament will likely debate the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill next month, although dates have not yet been set.

But while it is possible the Lords may amend the bill’s details, other experts believe the chances of a veto are tiny.

April 17, 2013
Gay protests at Margaret Thatcher’s funeral

One protester says in the 1980s and 1990s they 'constantly read about teenagers committing suicide' due to Thatcher's government introducing Section 28

People protested against the late Margaret Thatcher’s views on gay rights today (17 April).

The former Prime Minister, who died on 8 April following a stroke, is being given a ceremonial funeral with military honors at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Speaking to Gay Star News, several people shared their views about the divisive British political leader along the processional route.

One protester, who said they would prefer to stay anonymous, said they were there because of Thatcher’s government introducing Section 28.

April 15, 2013
UK Prime Minister's gay marriage advisor quits

Andrew Cooper, who made gay marriage a top issue for the British government has resigned over a power dispute

The British government’s advisor on gay marriage has left his job after losing a power battle with a fellow strategist.

Andrew Cooper, founder of UK polling company Populus Ltd, resigned from his position as director of government strategy yesterday (14 April), the Daily Mail reports.

April 8, 2013
Margaret Thatcher dies from stroke

Divisive figure for LGBT people in UK political history has passed away at the age of 87

Former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has died at the age of 87 after suffering from a stroke today (8 April).

Her spokesman Lord Bell said: ‘It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning.

‘A further statement will be made later.’

The first and only female prime minister in British history was a divisive figure for LGBT people, who led the government from 1979 to 1990.

March 17, 2013
London chapel to possibly host gay weddings

Ministers and MPs are debating turning the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, located beneath Parliament, into a ‘multi-faith prayer room’ in order to conduct same-sex marriages

A Labour MP has submitted a proposal for a Westminster chapel to conduct same-sex marriages.

According to The Telegraph, Labour MP and gay marriage supporter Chris Bryant introduced the idea that the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft be turned into ‘multi-faith prayer room’, which would open the door for ministers belonging to religious denominations such as Quakers and Liberal Jews to conduct same-sex marriages.

February 27, 2013
Deputy First Minister told she will lose seat over gay marriage support

Having said gay marriage is 'right thing to do', Nicola Sturgeon is told supporting it may be 'a vote loser'

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said the Scottish Government should legalize gay marriage, but is now being told she would 'lose more than she would gain'.

Adil Bhatti, former SNP national council member, said: 'The gay community don't have that many votes compared to those that you would lose from the religious groups like the Muslims and the Catholics.

February 23, 2013
Britain’s most anti-gay election of all time: Bermondsey 1983

Writing for GSN, veteran gay and human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell remembers his campaign to become a member of the British parliament 30 years ago

A senior Liberal Democrat politician was involved in a secret dirty tricks unit that organized an anonymous, illegal, homophobic smear campaign against the Labour candidate in the 1983 Bermondsey by-election. That candidate was me, Peter Tatchell.

The allegation comes from a former Liberal Party insider, Liverpool city councillor Steve Radford. Appalled by his party’s tactics, he has decided to speak out.

February 7, 2013
What has to happen now for England and Wales to get gay marriage?

British MPs have voted for gay marriage. But the next stages of the Bill may prove to be a bumpy road through the comitttee stages and the House of Lords

When the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill stormed through the House of Commons on Tuesday (5 February), England and Wales moved a giant step closer to recognizing equal marriage.

The House of Commons vote passed with a majority of 225, with Prime Minister David Cameron and other major party leaders Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg voting in favor.

But despite the support from Members of Parliament (MPs) the bill still has some way to go before it becomes law.

It is now set to be scrutinised line-by-line in the committee stage by a cross-party group of MPs.

February 6, 2013
UK Party leaders praise MPs approving equal marriage

Politicians and gay rights groups have applauded the majority of the members of parliament for approving same-sex marriage

The leaders from the three main political parties have praised the majority of MPs in the House of Commons approving same-sex marriage yesterday (5 February).

Passing through to the committee stage, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill was won by a landslide 400 ayes to 175 notes.

However it was not a victory for the Conservative party, as the majority of Tories decided to vote against or abstain from the vote.

February 5, 2013
Black Christian MP tells House gay marriage must not be separate but equal

David Lammy: 'Separate but equal is the language that tried to push Rosa Parks to the back of the bus'

A member of parliament has given an impassioned argument for marriage equality in the House of Commons today.

David Lammy, a black Labour MP, said the ‘Separate but Equal’ argument anti-gay marriage people use is flawed.

He said: ‘Let me speak frankly. “Separate but equal” is a fraud.

‘Separate but equal is the language that tried to push Rosa Parks to the back of the bus.

February 5, 2013
Senior Tories plead with backbench MPs to vote for gay marriage

George Osborne, Theresa May and William Hague has written a letter asking Conservative MPs to back marriage equality in the vote

Senior Conservatives are appealing to backbench members of parliament vote for marriage equality in England and Wales today (5 February).

In a joint letter to address the split in government, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Foreign Secretary William Hague and Home Secretary Theresa May have attempted to persuade other Conservatives to drop their opposition to same-sex marriage.

January 30, 2013
David Cameron pressured to give tax breaks to win gay marriage vote

UK Prime Minister is under mounting pressure to give a tax break to married couples as a compromise to backbenchers, which could cost up to £550m a year

UK Prime Minister David Cameron is under pressure to give tax breaks for married couples in order to win the marriage equality vote.

Members of parliament are pressing the cabinet to make an announcement in March to implement the coalition government’s promise to reward married couples and civil partnerships in the tax system.

January 25, 2013
David Cameron’s mother says ‘he just won’t be told’ on gay marriage

The UK Prime Minister may have convinced the majority of MPs marriage equality is a good idea, but not his own mother

David Cameron has spent nearly a year attempting to convince Conservative MPs the law needs to be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry in England and Wales.

But one person he has yet to convince is his own mother.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Mary Cameron was asked why her son was pressing ahead with legislation when it was supposedly ‘alienating’ Conservative supporters.

January 23, 2013
Scotland politician resigns over gay marriage

Scottish National Party official quits over the party's leadership support of gay marriage

Andrew Walker has left the Scottish National Party (SNP) stating the one of the reasons was Alex Salmond’s, Scotland’s First Minister and party leader, support of gay marriage.

Walker who resigned also resigned from his post as secretary of the SNP branch in the Western Isles, said that the party's and Salmond’s support of marriage equality ignores Scotland’s ‘majority views’.