Simon Burgess

Simon Burgess, Labour Candidate for Brighton Kemptown, was a guest at a dinner in London held by LGBT Labour to mark World AIDS day and 25 years since Chris Smith MP delivered the historic words; "my name is Chris Smith, I'm a Labour MP and I'm gay".

Simon said;
"It was a brave move made in very different times. He told the audience that some 95% of the letters he received at the time were supportive, and though SDP activists tried to use it against him in the general election in 1987 he did not find it a barrier to being re-elected. In 1988 the Conservatives introduced Section 28 which was a dark moment indeed, enshrining division and bigotry into legislation. Of course major progress had been made with legislation in the last decade but terrible homophobic attacks persist - something no civilised society should tolerate. The evening was a successful fundraiser for Dorothys List which backs openly LGBT Labour candidates - I had a lovely time surrounded by a new generation of Labour candidates who are truly passionate about fighting prejudice and inequality."