Former Cabinet Minister May Have Gay Marriage

  • Oct 10 2005
  • Written by Benjamin Cohen
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Chris Smith (pictured), the former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has revealed that he and his partner Dorian Jabri are seriously thinking of taking part in a civil partnership ceremony.

“I’m very pleased to see the civil partnership legislation on the statute book. Whether Dorian and I will decide to do so is something we talk about but about which we have not yet made any decisions. At the moment I couldn’t predict. We might.” Lord Smith told the London Evening Standard.

The former minister, who retired from the House of Commons at the last election, was the first MP to come out as being gay when he addressed a rally in Rugby in 1984 with a speech that opened with, “My name is Chris Smith, I’m the Labour MP for Islington South and I’m gay.” He recently revealed that his is suffering from HIV.

Lord Smith has been with his partner Dorian for the past 18 years, he was awarded a life Peerage in May 2005.