Last night, 24 July, the Prime Minister told attendees at
his reception for the LGBT community that he hopes that the church
will get behind the LGBT community and not continue to 'lock people
out'.
Present at the event which took place in the garden of 10
Downing Street, sports presenter Clare Balding, celebrated teacher
Elly Barnes and School's Out campaigner Sue Sanders were among the
150 guests who applauded the Prime Minister's speech in which he
acknowledged the Conservative party had 'got itself on the wrong
side of this argument,' which 'locked people out who [are]
naturally Conservative from supporting it and it is this point that
I think I can make to the church, gently.'
Noting that the Labour party had begun the process of
legislative equality he continued, stating that 'all institutions
need to wake up to the case for equality, and the Church shouldn't
be locking out people who are gay, bisexual or transgender from
being full members of that Church, because many people with deeply
held Christian views, are also gay. And just as the Conservative
Party, as an institution, made a mistake in locking people out so I
think the Churches can be in danger of doing the same thing.'
Cameron hinted at the members of his own party who will need
convincing on the subject of equal marriage adding that it was a
battle he felt "personally very passionate about."
The Prime minister's full speech can be read
below.
Also at the event was Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone who
told DIVA: "The government will make its announcement on the equal
marriage consulation by the end of the year," confirming that the
coalition government will pass same-sex marriage legislation by
2015.
Gary Everett, director of Homotopia, Britain's leading queer
arts festival was present at the event and told DIVA "The coalition
government seems to be making positive moves towards its commitment
to equal marriage and I want to see proof that they're as committed
to tackling homophobic hate crime. I'm here to see if I can get our
[anti-homophobic hate crime] work recognised on a national level
and to connect with other individuals who are making a
difference."
Speaking to DIVA the Dean of St Albans Dr Jeffrey John, who was
not permitted to become a Bishop on the grounds of his sexuality
said "If you are gay please do not judge God by the church." Watch
Jeffrey John's Out4Marriage video
below
The Prime Minister's speech in full:
"I just wanted to say three things to you tonight. First of all,
this party is really a celebration of the immense contribution that
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people make in every part of
our country, in the arts, in media, in sport, in business, in
finance - that's what tonight is about and I want to thank you for
the immense contribution that you make to our country.
"The second thing I wanted to say - there are a number of
anniversaries - its the 40th anniversary of the first Pride march
in London, the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Jewish Gay
Equality Group.... and I think its worth remembering the journey
that politics has been on in terms of gay equality over the last
forty years - the decriminalisation of homosexuality, the lowering
of the age of consent to 18, the equalisation of the age of consent
that the Blair government achieved, the introduction of civil
partnerships - backed by my party and I just want to say I am
absolutely determined that this Coalition government will follow in
that tradition by legislating for gay marriage in this parliament.
I make that point not only as someone who believes in equality but
as someone who believes passionately in marriage. I think marriage
is a great institution - I think it helps people to commit, it
helps people to say that they're going to care and love for another
person. It helps people to put aside their selfish interests and
think of the union that they're forming. Its something I feel
passionately about and I think if its good enough for straight
people like me, its good enough for everybody and that's why we
should have gay marriage and we will legislate for it ... And I
know there's going to be some big arguments, there will be
arguments obviously within political parties including my own,
there'll be arguments with many of the public that take a different
view.. although it is worth noting that opinion polls consistently
show that the public support the case for equality and obviously
there'll be arguments within the Churches as well, and can I say
how great it is to see some Church men and some Church women here
tonight supporting this party and supporting this cause... I run an
institution - the Conservative Party - which for many many years
got itself on the wrong side of this argument, it locked people out
who were naturally Conservative from supporting it and so I think I
can make that point to the Church, gently. Of course this is very,
very complicated and difficult issue for all the different
Churches, but I passionately believe that all institutions need to
wake up to the case for equality, and the Church shouldn't be
locking out people who are gay, or are bisexual or are transgender
from being full members of that Church, because many people with
deeply held Christian views, are also gay. And just as the
Conservative Party, as an institution, made a mistake in locking
people out so I think the Churches can be in danger of doing the
same thing.
"The Third point I wanted to make is, changing laws is important,
legislating is important. But what is equally important - arguably
now what is more important - is actually going to be changing
culture... whether its on the football field, or in the rugby
dressing room; changing the culture whether its in the school
playground, changing the culture in the workplace, changing the
culture everywhere so that people can genuinely feel we live in an
equal, fair and tolerant country. And changing the culture is much
more difficult than changing the law... changing culture is much
more subtle and difficult. But the promise I can make you is that
this coalition government is committed to both changing the law and
also working to help change the culture and the Conservative party
absolutely backs that. This is something ... I personally feel very
passionately about."
