subject: UK political leaders battle for the gay vote [print this page] It may just be a case of promises, promises but all three political parties seem hell-bent on wooing the gay vote in the forthcoming UK general election. Liberal democrat leader Nick Clegg this week caused a media storm over his partys commitment to gay equality. In an interview with gay glossy Attitude Clegg said his party would implement laws requiring Faith schools to teach that being gay is acceptable and normal. On the issue of gay marriage he said: If we dont want to discriminate, why do we make differences in language? Language is a hugely important signifier of how we segment society and how you seek to create differences between people. Since we dont want to make differences on this and the law has moved a great deal to do that, we should be linguistically the same too. Not to be out done David Cameron has promised that civil partners will enjoy the same tax breaks given to married couples under a Conservative government. In a recent speech reported by Reuters the Tory leader was quoted as saying: "We will recognise marriage, whether between a man and a woman, a woman and a woman or a man and a man, in the tax system and yes, that is a commitment." Gordon Brown said in his interview with Attitude that Labour would push for recognition of UK civil partnerships across Europe. The current Labour governments commitment to gay rights has been proved substantial: During their term they have equalized the age of consent, lifted the ban on gays in the army and introduced civil partnerships. It has been estimated that 3.6 million Britons are either gay or lesbian. Attitude magazine concludes that at a close election the gay vote could potentially swing open the gates of Downing Street or slam them shut. For weekly gay news, chat and soundbites visit www.maleforce.com
