Focuson Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender rights GENERAL ELECTION 2005: LIBERAL DEMOCRAT MANIFESTO FOR LGBT Charles Kennedy MP Liberal Democrats 4 Cowley Street London SW1P 3NB 020 7222 7999 www.libdems.org.uk At the core of Liberal Democrat philosophy is our belief that a diverse Britain, is a richer Britain. We would like to see a fair, free and open society that nurtures individuality and creativity – not one shackled by conformity, ignorance or intolerance. This means that we believe strongly in an individual’s right to live their lives as they see fi without discrimination, with personal privacy, with equal rights in front of the law and the opportunities to make the best of their talents. This applies to a person’s sexuality and gender identity in the same way it does to their race, gender, or religion. t, The Liberal Democrats have been consistent in our application of these principles and are proud of our track record on issues relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. This Labour government has often appeared unwilling to sanction change and it has only acted because of European Court judgements or EU initiatives on things like the equal age of consent, equality in the armed forces, employment discrimination and transgender rights. It was the Liberal Democrats who were at the forefront of all these campaigns before they were fashionable, and led the Parliamentary fi ght to scrap Section 28 and introduce civil partnerships. These battles have been fought and won. But there is much still to do. With a Labour Government that has too often chased the populist agenda and has not shown suffi for fundamental civil liberties, it is imperative that the Liberal Democrats continue to push for equal rights, equal treatment before the law, and an end to discrimination. I am determined we will do just that. cient respect From the protection of employees, to incitement to hatred; from HIV and health education to asylum; this manifesto sets out the policies that we will pursue over the next parliament.

Top Liberal Democrat policies for LGBT rights ● Strengthen the fi ght against discrimination with a single Equality Act. This will outlaw all unfair discrimination and harassment, including on the grounds of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age or gender identity – this will be the biggest step taken to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. ● Press public bodies to tackle inequality and discrimination against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender citizens. ● Outlaw incitement of hatred against people on the basis of their sexuality and homophobic exacerbation of offences. ● Equal treatment for same sex and heterosexual couples in pension arrangements. ● End the exemption in the UK’s implementation of the European Directive that allows religious organisations to sack, demote or fail to hire employees in non-proselytising posts on grounds of sexual orientation. ● Improve education on HIV – prevention is better than cure. Over the life time of a Parliament we would refocus the spending and priorities of the health service on health education and screening. ● Repeal provisions in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act which discriminate against lesbian couples. ● Introduce a rates relief for small businesses – boosting the pink economy which is based typically on the small business sector. Equality and freedom same basis as inciting racial hatred. It should not have taken defeat We will ensure that offences for in the European Courts to finally from discrimination which penalties are more severe when force Conservative and Labour Britain is one of the most centralised racially or religiously aggravated Governments to remove the countries in the western world. A are also penalised when aggravated disgraceful ban on gay and lesbian government with a majority can take by homophobia. We will end the personnel in the armed forces, many away whatever powers from citizens use of homophobia as a defence of whom had their careers and lives it wants to. Parliament exercises too or mitigation in court for criminal wrecked, and many of whom are still little power over government and activity. We will ensure police hate waiting for compensation. too often backbenchers are slavishly crime investigation units coordinate loyal – not to their principles or their information and action against racist, Currently there is no collection of constituents – but to Government homophobic and other hate crimes. information about discrimination in business managers, ministers and the armed services. This makes the whips. The result of this has been tackling of homophobia extremely a nation that has power highly Homophobic bullying difficult. A Liberal Democrat centralised in the hands of a few in schools government will require the armed ministers who are able to ride services to get to grips with the Many young people growing up (or roughshod over the rights of citizens problem by setting up a system of just thought to be) gay or lesbian of whatever background. Too often, support and information collection in schools and colleges suffer verbal governments as well as individuals similar to that already existing within abuse, damage to schoolwork and and communities have discriminated the police. clothing, physical attack and injury. against people on the grounds of Some attempt suicide. This has been sexual orientation. And there were A Liberal Democrat government will contributed to by Section 28, which no powers available to citizens to also work with police authorities Lib Dems alone opposed in 1988 and prevent this. to tackle the problem of domestic which took the Labour Party six years violence within same sex relationships. in office to repeal. All parents have Insufficient attention has been paid to An Equality Act a right to feel confident that their this issue. Liberal Democrats will pass an child will be safe at school. School Equality Act which will tackle all staff already receive training on how forms of discrimination including on to deal with bullying. We will ensure the grounds of sexual orientation. Jobs and prosperity this also covers dealing confidently The rise of the pink economy and the Public bodies will have a positive duty with homophobic bullying and issues strength of the pink pound reflect to tackle inequality and discrimination that arise in school around sexuality. a community that is vibrant and self against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals We will support freephone helplines confident. This is welcomed by Liberal and transgender people, in the where those targeted can report Democrats. There are however some same way as they are required to bullying and get help and advice. All areas of the economy and the world promote race equality and tackle race young people benefit from a school of work where inequality still needs discrimination. The Act would not culture where difference is respected. to be tackled. just apply to the public sector. It will We will require that all schools end discrimination in the provision have a written policy on tackling of goods and services. For example, Ending employment exemptions homophobic hate crime and that currently hotels can refuse to take A European Directive protects tolerance on sexual orientation is a booking from a same sex couple. gay and lesbian people from specifically included for the first Under our Equality Act, everyone discrimination (dismissal, demotion, time in the guidance for religious will be treated equally. The current non-appointment) and harassment education alongside race, religion and Labour Government blocked the Lib at work and in training. The Labour gender. Dem Peer Anthony Lester’s attempt Government has allowed a broad to introduce this Act in the last exception for religious organisations Our commitment to include Sex Parliament. to discriminate against staff on the and Relationships Education in the grounds of their sexual orientation National Curriculum will ensure An Equality and Human Rights even where there is no genuine that children are introduced at vocational requirement for a Commission the appropriate age to proper particular sexuality. As a result, a Liberal Democrats will bring together information about sexual orientation cleaner in a church hall can be sacked as the Equality and Human Rights before myths and bullying take hold. for being gay, and a lesbian teacher Commission the various bodies can be sacked from a church school, involved in upholding and promoting even a state-funded one. Liberal the rights of different groups within The Police and Armed Democrats will end this opt out and society. This will have, amongst other Services apply the rules to non-proselytising responsibilities, a role in advising roles in religious organisations, whilst both the public and private sector on Great progress has been made throughout police forces in Britain respecting the need for religious equality issues as well as being the organisations to be able to appoint guardian of equal rights. in tackling homophobic practices. Police authorities have taken on people according to their beliefs in a much more progressive and proselytising roles such as priests.. Incitement to homophobic hatred tolerant approach to gay and lesbian and homophobic aggravation of employees. This is a positive model Pensions offences we believe should be extended Liberal Democrats were the first to We will make incitement of elsewhere. call for civil partnerships for same sex homophobic hatred an offence on the and unmarried opposite sex couples, and the Labour Government blocked need for sexual health education. The asylum system needs to treat a Lib Dem bill to introduce them years all applications fairly. Homophobic before the Civil Partnership Bill was We have opposed, and will continue persecution should be considered as brought forward. It was Lib Dems to oppose, attempts to criminalise a legitimate reason for applying for who pressed for this to be amended reckless transmission of infectious asylum where sending them back to to allow state pension rights for diseases, as this would undermine the the country of origin puts them at civil partners on a par with married public health need for people to come serious risk of persecution or physical couples. forward for testing. harm by the state authorities or where the state does not provide Under Labour, same sex couples Freeing health trusts to treat adequate protection from non-state in civil partnerships continue to patients agents of persecution.. be treated unfairly compared The health service is highly centralised with married couples in terms of in England and health trusts are too partner benefits in some pension Equality for tied up in attempting to achieve arrangements in both the public and Whitehall targets, rather than private sector. Our Equality Act will transgender people concentrating on the needs of Liberal Democrats were the first party give us the opportunity to tackle this patients. Liberal Democrats believe to call for equality for transgender inequality and end discrimination in that the professional judgement of people, in a Bill proposed by the pension provision. doctors and specialists about the then Lib Dem MP Alex Carlile, and needs of patients should be the we supported the recent Bill - forced Pink prosperity driving force behind the activity for on an unwilling Government by The pink economy is made up of health trusts. the European Court - that allowed thousands of small businesses catering transgender people to change their mainly for gay and lesbian clients. Currently, in many areas there are birth certificate to reflect their Many however are burdened by long delays for tests and treatments new gender. However, married uniform business rates which hit small at genital urinary clinics. Liberal transgender people are required to businesses harder than medium and Democrats will free the National divorce before their certificate can especially large concerns. Health Service in England from the be changed. This is an unreasonable straitjacket of inappropriate central intervention in the private lives Liberal Democrats will introduce a government targets. Health trusts of citizens. We will scrap this rates relief scheme for all businesses will be able to focus their resources on requirement. with rateable values of less than the needs of their patients. This will £25,000. The average saving will help to cut back the waiting times for The Government rejected Liberal be about £600 per small business diagnosis and treatment at STI clinics Democrat attempts to provide for an - just part of our wider package of faced by patients. Better targeting end to discrimination in the provision measures to help business, particularly of HIV education where it is needed of goods and services against people small businesses, such as cutting red will also be possible. By scrapping on the basis of their transgendered tape and inspections. centrally imposed targets, local health status. Our Equality Bill will provide trusts could prioritise treatment and this protection for the first time. Health services on HIV. The Liberal Democrat approach to health is to tackle the root causes of A right to a family ill health at their source, rather than A provision introduced by the the knee-jerk reactions of previous Conservatives in the 1990 Human governments. It is more effective to Fertilisation and Embryology stop health problems happening in Act discriminates against lesbian the first place than to respond to a couples wishing to have treatment This document contains problem that has blown up. Health to have children. By requiring the Federal Liberal Democrat role of a father to be considered in education will therefore have a policy, except in areas where key role to play under the Liberal applications for treatment under the Democrats. Over the lifetime of a Act, lesbian couples are effectively policy of the Scottish and Parliament we will focus more NHS prevented from using it to start a Welsh Liberal Democrats resources on prevention, since this is family. There is good evidence that applies. better and more cost effective. the children of lesbian parents are at no disadvantage compared to children A full costing document will be published at the same Education on HIV and other of mixed sex couples, and we would repeal the discriminatory provisions. time as the General Election sexually transmitted infections. Freeing the NHS from the huge Manifesto. weight of central targets will enable Asylum local trusts to address particular Men persecuted for being gay in some health educational needs. HIV and other countries have sought asylum other sexually transmitted infections in the UK. There have been examples Printed on recycled paper to are still rising amongst gay men and of Jamaican gay men, for example, preserve our environment for there is a need to tackle this through being refused asylum in the UK on future generations. Published & promoted: Chris Rennard on health education. Free of politically the grounds that being gay does not behalf of the Liberal Democrats, both at motivated targets, trusts will be constitute a cause for seeking asylum. 4 Cowley Street, London SW1P 3NB. able to focus more effectively on Being sent back however can put that Printed: Park Communications, Lea Mill, communities where there is a greater person’s life at serious risk. Eastway, London, E9 5NU. 020 8525 6200