Ed Miliband: Our battle for equality can’t stop at same-sex marriage while prejudice still remains
Labour leader Ed Miliband writes for PinkNews to congratulate same-sex couples marrying in England and Wales, saying the battle for equality still is not yet won.
I want to send my congratulations and best wishes to all those who will be getting married over the next few weeks and months.
When I first pledged my support for equal marriage – in an article for PinkNews during the Labour Party leadership campaign in 2010 – few people would have thought that by 2014 the legislation would have passed through Parliament and lesbian and gay couples across the country would be preparing to get married. This shows how far we have come as a country in recent years.
But whatever victories we have enjoyed, the battle for equality still isn’t won. We might be getting closer to formal equality in Britain, but we need always to aim higher. We need to aim for real equality.
That’s why the campaign can’t stop while kids are still subject to homophobic bullying at school; while people are discriminated against at work because of their sexuality; and while there is still prejudice in our culture against gay and lesbian couples.
We should also redouble our resolve to campaign for LGBT rights internationally. It is deeply concerning that while we have seen major advances in equal rights in the UK, many parts of the world have moved in the opposite direction. That’s why a Labour government will appoint an international envoy to tackle discrimination against gay people across the world.
I look forward to working with PinkNews in the future to carry on our campaign for equality.
Ed Miliband is the leader of the Labour Party.
