Tories to parade themselves at Brighton Pride
The Conservative party’s attempts to make itself appealing to the gay community continue this weekend with a float at tomorrow’s Brighton Pride parade.
David Bull, TV doctor and Tory candidate for Brighton Pavilion, is behind the float.
It is the second year the party has participated in Brighton Pride.
Nancy Platts, the Labour party candidate for Brighton Pavillion, said:
“If the Tories want gay and lesbian people to vote for them in elections, they should vote for gay and lesbian rights in Parliament.
“The strength of Brighton Pride is that it is open to all; the same cannot be said of the Conservatives. Tory floats won’t buy our votes.”
Earlier this year LGBTory, a new group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans Conservative activists, was founded.
Its members took part in Pride London where the Tory Mayor Boris Johnson led the parade.
The Sun newspaper reported on Dr Bull’s float last year, which featured topless dancing boys.
It was unclear if any of them were members of the Tory Party.
Dr Bull said:
“Four years ago if someone said the Conservative Party were going to do a float for Pride, we would have been laughed out of the city.
“Last year we were amazed at the positive response and that’s why all the team here in Brighton and Hove wanted to put together a float that represents the fact that Brighton is the best place to be in the world.
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“It’s somewhere that everyone can be themselves.”
This year’s parade theme is “Pride around the World.”
150,000 people are expected to take part in tomorrow’s Pride.
After the parade the festivities continue in Preston Park, where there will be fairground rides, dance tents and food stalls.
