Brighton & Hove Conservative candidates have launched a joint declaration to the local LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community, setting out how the Conservative Party has changed and that "for the modern Conservative Party, embracing gay equality is neither a temporary phenomenon, nor an agenda which can be reversed".

In their statement, the City’s 3 candidates – Simon Kirby for Brighton Kemptown, Charlotte Vere for Brighton Pavilion, and Mike Weatherley for Hove & Portslade – set out their vision for the type of society they want to build, where:

• A child can go to school without being bullied because of his or her sexuality.
• People can be honest about their sexuality with their friends, families, and employers.
• The terraces at football games do not ring with homophobic abuse.
• A public declaration of lifelong commitment to another person can be made by anyone.
• Communities are safe and no-one is fearful because of who they are.
• Anyone can serve their country without being asked who it is they love.
• No-one is held back and opportunity is available to all.
• There is equality before the law, to provide equal treatment by anyone who offers goods and services to the public.

A spokesman for the Conservatives said:
"David Cameron apologised last year for the party’s action over Section 28, and this year said 'I have apologised for that, I think we got that wrong'.

"The Conservative Party has openly gay shadow ministers, and gay and lesbian candidates fighting the general election.

"Nick Herbert the openly gay shadow cabinet member recently said 'In the UK, all three major political parties are now assuring gay people that it’s safe to vote for them...far from taking pleasure at this new consensus, the Left has greeted it with dismay..'  

"Gay people are not the property of the Left, or of any party.

“We self-evidently have changed.  The truth is there are millions of people who we drove away but who share our values and want to join us.

"The City’s Conservative candidates are all making it clear that they support Nick Herbert, and the modernisation of the Conservative Party, which firmly believes in equality for all."

This pledge does not appear on the Tories' website.


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www.conservatives.com