May: Tories got it wrong on gay rights in the past

...as poll for gay website finds four in ten think homosexuality is ‘unnatural’

THERESA May has admitted that the Tories got it wrong on gay rights in the past, but said they have ‘come a long way’ on the issue.

The Prime Minister said she was proud of the role the Conservatives had played in battling discrimination in recent years.

But in an article to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality, she wrote that there was ‘ much more to do’ to achieve equality. Her remarks come as a YouGov poll for gay website PinkNews found four in ten people believe gay sex is unnatural.

The Tories have recently attempted to improve their reputation on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT) rights, announcing plans to make changing gender easier.

Justine Greening, the minister for women and equalities, said men will be able to identify themselves as women, and women as men, without a doctor’s diagnosis. But the plans, which have been criticised by Christian groups, risk alienating traditional party supporters.

In a piece for PinkNews yesterday, Mrs May admitted there were times ‘where we have been wrong on these issues in the past’ and acknowledged that some might be sceptical.

Former prime minister David Cameron and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also wrote comment pieces to mark the anniversary of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act.

Mr Corbyn urged Mrs May to stand up to Donald Trump on LGBT rights.

The American president said on Wednesday that he wants transgender people banned from serving in the US military.

Mrs May wrote: ‘I am proud of the role my party has played in recent years in advocating a Britain which seeks to end discrimination on the grounds of sexuality or gender identity, but I acknowledge where we have been wrong on these issues in the past.

‘There will justifiably be scepticism about the positions taken and votes cast down through the years by the Conservative Party, and by me, compared to where we are now. But like the country we serve, my party and I have come a long way.’

Mr Corbyn wrote that Mrs May had failed to challenge Mr Trump over his stance which had ‘incited hatred and discrimination against LGBT people’.

‘Other world leaders have been unequivocal with the US president but not Theresa May, who has failed to challenge this in the strongest terms,’ he added.

The Prime Minister has faced criticism over her pact at Westminster with the Democratic Unionist Party, which opposes gay marriage.

Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Sir John Major – the other surviving former prime ministers along with Mr Cameron – also wrote for the website. Mr Cameron said one of his proudest achievements in office was the Act which legalised same- sex marriage in England and Wales.

The YouGov poll of 1,609 adults for PinkNews found that, of those who gave their opinion, 42 per cent did not think gay sex was natural.

Just under half believe children aged five to 11 should not be taught about gay relationships in school. More than one third (36 per cent) generally disapprove of gay men becoming parents via surrogacy or adoption.

Among Conservative voters, the figure rose to 61 per cent.