David Miliband responds to Pink News readers

From @LabourList

Several weeks ago, David Miliband wrote an article for PinkNews on Pride and Britain’s work abroad for gay rights. At the time, some readers questioned whether the Foreign Secretary believed work on gay rights in Britain was complete, citing high levels of homophobic bullying in schools and, as yet, no marriage for gay couples.

David Miliband has now written to Pink News readers to respond to those comments. In his letter, he says:

“I was concerned that some readers had interpreted that I was suggesting Labour’s work on LGBT rights had been completed in the UK and that our attention was now turning abroad. I firmly believe that we, as progressives, have a duty to fight for equality and fairness which transcends our national borders, and I am proud of the work we do abroad. But equally I am clear that the fight for equality in the UK is by no means complete and we have further to go.

He continued that:

“There is much to do on transgender rights; there is a debate to be had over equalising the rights of ‘married’ heterosexual and homosexual couples; we need a strategy to tackle homophobic bullying in schools; homophobia still features too regularly in elements of popular culture; and we need to ensure that we give fair consideration of all LGBT asylum applications, as Immigration Minister Phil Woolas has committed to.

The Foreign Secretary also wrote that:

“The fight for equality and against injustice at home and abroad will always be the principal cause of the Labour Party, central to which will always be the fight for LGBT rights. I believe our record differentiates us from our political opponents, but more importantly it is our commitment to drive this agenda forward that makes Labour the real party of social justice.“

Read David Miliband’s full response to Pink News here.