Labour MEPs pledge support for Equal Love campaign in Europe
All Labour’s representatives at the European Parliament have signed their support for the Equal Love campaign, which aims to allow equal access for gay and straight couples to civil partnerships and marriage.
The campaign is coordinated by Peter Tatchell, who argued this month that the UK government is prolonging discrimination by allowing a consultation on gay marriage to take place next year.
Peter Tatchell said: “I hope Labour MPs at Westminster will follow the positive example of these MEPs and oppose sexual orientation discrimination in marriage and partnership law.”
Leader of the Labour MEPs, Glenis Willmott said: “I am very proud that all thirteen Labour MEPs unanimously supported this campaign.
“The Labour government brought forward civil partnership legislation and a future government should take this legislation to the next stage.
“Same sex relationships should be on the same legal basis as opposite sex relationships across the EU.”
Michael Cashman MEP combines the roles of the Chair of Labour’s National Executive Committee with jointly co-ordinating the European Parliament’s LGBT ‘Intergroup”. This week he received the 250,000-strong petition against Russia’s “gay propaganda” law.
He said: “Many MEPs from all political groups support equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. In the UK, this includes ending the ban on same-sex marriage and different-sex partnerships.
“I am proud of my Labour MEP colleagues. It’s now up to Labour’s Westminster MPs to follow suit.”
On hearing of the MEPs’ support for the Equal Love campaign, LGBT campaigner Peter Tatchell said there was “huge appreciation to Labour MEPs for supporting the Equal Love campaign.
“It’s great to have all 13 Labour MEPs backing the campaign for equality. In the European Parliament, they have been steadfast allies and pioneers for LGBT human rights. Political support for our legal case in the European Court of Human Rights is really important.”
