The race to win the pink vote ahead of the next general election took an interesting turn this week, when an openly gay Tory member accused Labour of using queer rights as a "political pawn".
Speaking at the Stonewall fringe event, Nick Herbert, who is the shadow environment secretary, said head of Stonewall Ben Summerskill’s decision to cancel his appearance at a Conservative conference Pride event the previous night could be part of a Labour agenda to poach gay voters.
The claim follows an onslaught of criticism against Conservative European alliances, including one with the controversial Polish party Law and Justice, which opposes gay marriage.
The Guardian reports that Summerskill didn’t attend the event in question because controversial speakers representing the offending Polish party spoke at an earlier fringe event alongside Tory MP and shadow Europe minister Mark Francois.
Summerskill categorically denied the accusation, claiming: "I am not being used by Downing Street.”
Tory leader David Cameron has also spoken out about the controversial alliance, telling Sky News: "There is a deliberate attempt to try to characterise the views of some of our allies in the new European grouping, on this issue and others, in a way that does not accurately reflect their position.”
Following his claim, 46-year-old Herbert – one of the first openly gay men to be elected in to the Conservative party – further argued: "You cannot define the Conservative party's attitude to gay rights in this country by this alliance."
Herbert entered into a civil partnership with his long-term boyfriend in January this year.