Author PD James who voted against gay equality dies
The author PD James, who was happy to have gay characters in her books but could never bring herself to vote for gay rights in Parliament, has died aged 94.
In 1991, she was made a life member of the House of Lords and given the title Baroness James of Holland Park.
According to Public Whip, she voted against the repeal of Section 28 in 2000, which banned the “promotion” of homosexuality in schools, and she voted in favour of an amendment in 2002 that would only allow married couples to adopt children.
PD James also voted against the Equality Act in 2007.
Although she rejected the liberal leanings of large parts of the modern literary world she hid her true political allegiance until 1997 when the election of Tony Blair prompted her to take the Conservative whip in the Lords.
In a 2009 speech she attacked what she called “the cult of political correctness,” which, she said, actually raised barriers in society.
“If, in speaking to minorities we have to weigh every word in advance in case we, inadvertently, give offence, how can we be at ease with each other, celebrate our common humanity, our shared anxieties and aspirations.”
Despite failing to vote for gay rights, in an interview with The Daily Telegraph in 2010, PD James said she was happy to include gay characters in her books.
‘Yes, they sleep together and some have been gay but I mostly leave the details to the reader’s imagination,” she said.
