Gay voters urged to question would-be MPs
Gay rights charity Stonewall is calling for lesbian, gay and bisexual people to use their votes and question local candidates in the general election.
The organisation has launched a campaign with the strapline: “Use your vote – thousands of bigots will.”
It estimates that Britain has 2.8 million gay voters and is urging them to question local candidates about their views on gay issues, such as what they would do to tackle homophobic bullying in local schools and whether they would push to ensure civil partnership recognition across Europe.
Stonewall has also provided a database of current MPs’ voting records and has set out its own election demands.
These include demanding that all parties commit to implementing measures in the new Equality Act and take steps to make parliament more representative.
Other demands are action against homophobic bullying in schools and more protection from hate crime.
Stonewall chief executive Ben Summerskill said: “Voters are still rightly anxious about which way candidates have recently voted on gay equality.
“Stonewall’s happy to provide voters with clear, impartial information on MPs’ voting records and assure them that every single pink vote can make a difference to the daily lives of nearly four million lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Britain.”
Mr Summerskill chaired a political hustings last week with representatives from the three main parties.
Stonewall will also be asking all the main party leaders to sign up to a homophobia-free election campaign.
