Prime Minister Gordon Brown has praised gays in Britain’s armed forces and criticised the US’s policy which stops out troops serving in the military.
At a reception last night at Number 10 Downing Street to celebrate February’s LGBT History Month, Brown singled out the lesbians, gays and bisexuals from the Army, Navy and Air Force who attended the event in uniform.
He told them: “You are the pride of our country and we thank you very much. We know this debate continues in America today. I would say to people who still favour ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’, look at our experience in Britain.”
US President Barack Obama has promised to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell” which stops gays serving openly in the American military.
Brown also pointed out James Parks, a PC who was attacked in Liverpool in a homophobic crime last year and has spent months recovering from his injuries.
He said: “We all went into shock and morning as a spate of homophobic and transphobic attacks happened and as James Parks was hospitalised our thoughts were with him.”
But he was able to announce that Parks was at the reception along with his newly-wed civil partner, Tom.
And Brown promised gay people that he stood by them in the struggle for equality, saying: “I will not give up on the fight for justice until justice is achieved.”
It was the second year that the Prime Minister has hosted a reception for History Month, last year Brown slammed the newly imposed ban on gay marriage in California in his speech.
Among the guests mixing with Brown and his wife Sarah, were Paul O’Grady, actor Antony Cotton, artist Maggi Hamblin, broadcaster Amy Lamé, author Jeanette Winterson and TV doctor Christian Jessen. There were also a number of openly gay politicians invited including Chris Bryant MP, Ben Bradshaw MP, Lord Chris Smith and Michael Cashman MEP.