SUMMARY

— Representation cannot be achieved without sexual orientation monitoring

— The integrity of the political process is called into question if LGB politicians feel they are unable to be as unconsciously open about their families and partners as their heterosexual colleagues

— Some media outlets perpetuate the belief that homosexuality is essentially deviant, making life harder for all LGB people, particularly people in the public eye, including politicians

— All Parties should have spokespeople for LGB issues

— Within the capital the LGB community and civic infrastructure is considerably more developed. Outside of this sphere, LGB people feel separated from the London-centric political process

— All Parties could commit more resources to engaging with their LGB constituents, and potential members

— Homophobia exists in our society, affecting LGB involvement in all forms of public office. A co-ordinated campaign by Government and the Parties to encourage this involvement would be welcome

— Parties that have passed homophobic legislation should publicly apologise

— Manchester City Council is an example of best practice in terms of resources devoted to LGB issues, and the real efforts made to engage with the LGB community

— The estimated five and a half million LGB people in this country have a right to an authentic and identifiable voice at all levels of government

Are problems caused by the unbalanced representation in the House of Commons of different groups in society? If so, what are those problems?

  1.  The lesbian and gay population of the United Kingdom was estimated by the Treasury to be 3,658,500 people (6% of the population). If we also include the Lesbian & Gay Foundation's estimate for the bisexual population at 3%, this makes the total potential lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) population of the UK approximately 5,487,750 people.

  2.  No official data on the number of LGB MPs or Lords exists. For a minority group of potentially five million people, this has very serious implications for representation. The Office of National Statistics is currently not including sexual orientation on the 2011 census. No other significant minority population is excluded in this way.

  3.  It is a credit to the hard work of Members that great progress has been made towards LGB equality. But whilst sexual orientation remains hidden at our highest levels of power and public office, real equality can never be achieved.

  4.  There is very little visibility of the LGB population within the Houses of Parliament. It is often put forward that being gay, lesbian or bisexual is a private matter. It is not a private matter to be heterosexual; no heterosexual Member would ever consider having to deny the existence of their partner.

  5.  This means people are treated differently because of their sexual orientation. The issue can no longer be considered private for those that have a public duty to be representative of their diverse communities. If it is accepted that homophobia exists in our society, and that an LGB person cannot talk about their families and their lives with the same unconscious openness as a heterosexual person, then sexual orientation is not a private matter. It is made more than that, because of the large numbers of people, both LGB and heterosexual, who are unwilling to talk about it. This is why LGB representation and visibility in Parliament is essential for real LGB equality.

  6.  It is recognised that being a "minority" politician can be very challenging. Members have a duty to represent their entire community, but LGB Members may avoid declaring their sexual orientation for fear of being "pigeonholed" or risking voters' support within their constituency. Anecdotal evidence suggests that LGB Members who are not able to be open about their sexuality may have voted against equality legislation. This contributes to the lack of an authentic LGB voice in Parliament. To quote Alan Duncan, the first "out" Conservative MP:

  7.  "I knew that, in politics, if you were gay it would always be used as a political weapon against you." (Source: www.guardian.co.uk 27 January 2006).

  8.  And when Simon Hughes MP admitted to having gay relationships in the past, a newspaper posed this question on their website: "Should Hughes' sexuality stop him becoming [Liberal Democratic] leader or hinder his ability to do a good job in public office?" (Source: www.dailymail.co.uk 26 January 2006).

  9.  Parliamentary authorities and the political parties could all do more to reassure LGB politicians that "coming out" will not see them side-lined or affect their careers in any way. To inspire future LBG politicians the public recognition of this issue could be very important.

Is there a relationship between these levels of representation and voter attitudes to Parliament?

  10.  "More than a quarter [of people asked] feel that one of the solutions to tackling discrimination is to have more gay MPs in Britain" (Source: Stonewall Living together 2007)

  11.  It is common knowledge that there are LGB members of Parliament that are unwilling to admit to their orientation publicly. It is unfortunate that these Members feel that to publicly admit their sexual orientation would be detrimental to them, either with respect to their colleagues and superiors or with the electorate. This again demonstrates that our society is not fully inclusive of the LGB community. It also makes Parliament and the wider political process seem out of touch with LGB people. For LGB people, "coming out" can be one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences of their lives. The integrity of the political process is called into question if LGB politicians feel they are unable to be as unconsciously open about their families and partners as their heterosexual colleagues.

  12.  Aspiration is vitally important for public engagement with the political process. The American Presidential election had a record voter turnout because for the first time a significant proportion of America felt that a member of their community could achieve the highest political office. The importance of LGB role models, especially to younger LGB people, cannot be underestimated. Please see the Lesbian & Gay Foundation's guide to LGB achievement and aspiration Aim High for a further exploration of these issues.[86]

  13.  The media's representation around LGB people in general, LGB issues in politics and LGB politicians specifically needs to be mentioned as an important barrier to a more visible LGB presence in UK politics. For example, a newspaper ran a piece in 2008 about Chris Bryant MP and his recommendations around teenage pregnancy. In both the headline, and every time Mr Bryant's name was mentioned, the writer referred to the content of Mr Bryant's profile on a gay dating website, which was a story first broken in 2003 (Source www.dailymail.co.uk 28 January 2008). The use, by an MP, of a gay dating website is seen as so scandalous that it is worth mentioning years after it was discovered. Judgements are still made about LGB people in the media that perpetuate the belief that homosexuality is essentially deviant.

  14.  There exists a belief that gay men, lesbians and bisexuals inhabit a "twilight world" separate from "normal" concerns around family, tax, children and the other concerns of the "silent majority". LGB people are part of that silent majority. While recent legislation has allowed us to play a fuller part in society, until decision makers prioritise public acknowledgement of LGB contributions to mainstream society, the LGB community will feel, and continue to be treated like second class citizens.

  15.  It is vitally important that all politicians and civil servants recognise that gay men, lesbians and bisexuals do not only exist at rallies and protests nor do we only appear at Pride events and gay pubs and clubs. We live our lives with the same diversity as everyone else.

  16.  Government and the Opposition Parties need to proactively counter negative portrayals of their LGB communities by having a more co-ordinated approach. Harriet Harman MP's comments about the abhorrence of prejudice were very welcome but it is felt that all the parties should have official spokespeople for LGB issues, and the Government should have a Minister who as part of their portfolio has responsibility for LGB issues. Please see later examples regarding Manchester City Council for best practice regarding LGB engagement.

What are the reasons why more women, people from ethnic minorities and disabled people do not become Members of Parliament:

Why don't more from these groups consider standing for election?

  17.  The feedback received by the Lesbian & Gay Foundation from service users is that they feel unable to bring their concerns to their MP. All MPs, whatever their personal views on the matter, have a public duty to fully engage with their diverse constituents. The political Parties and the Government could do some valuable work in encouraging their members to reach out to their LGB constituents. The resulting increase in membership would be welcomed by any Party.

  18.  Localities with a less visible LGB population deserve special attention. For example, during the debate over IVF clinics providing services to women where there was no male present in the household, Sir Patrick Cormack MP said: "Whatever is the case in Islington, in Staffordshire it is actually normal for a child to have a father and a mother. Is it normal for a child to have two mothers?" (Source www.guardian.co.uk 21 May 2008).

  19.  This quote demonstrates two main things. Firstly, despite the great progress made towards LGB equality, openly homophobic comments are still being made in the Houses of Parliament. Secondly it demonstrates the prejudice that an LGB candidate may face if they choose to stand in a rural area with a less visible LGB population.

  20.  Multiple barriers to standing for election should also be recognised. Women, people from ethnic minorities and disabled people can all also be members of the LGB community. The challenges faced by people who are members of more than one under-represented group are highly complex, and outside the scope of this document, but it is worth noting that out of a reported 11 "out" LGB MPs, only one is female. This suggests the barriers to being an "out" lesbian MP are higher than those for gay men.

Or, if they do, why aren't more of them selected?

  21.  Selection committees in some constituencies are still generally formed by the "party faithful" and so can be assumed to have an older demographic than the population at large. It is generally understood that older people can be more likely to misunderstand LGB issues because of their experience of a less tolerant society. To demonstrate the experience of one gay politician—

  22.  "When Alan Duncan first sought to become a Conservative parliamentary candidate, there was one question that some of the constituency selection panels were particularly keen to ask him. "You're not married," he remembers them saying. "Is there anything in your past that might cause the party embarrassment?" At one interview, they put the question three times. "In the end I said, "Put it this way. If I was selected for this seat, you wouldn't have to worry about the sheep." Half the panel roared with laughter. The other half looked severe." Duncan did not get the seat" (Source www.guardian.co.uk 27 January 2006)

Or, if they are, why aren't more of them elected?

  23.  To be elected as an "out" LGB politician is still extremely rare. "MPs are not naïve…There would have been a lot of people to whom the sexuality of a candidate would have made a significant difference" (Source www.guardian.co.uk 23 February 2005). This comment was made at a tribunal when one MP was alleged to have had her researcher "dig the dirt" on her gay rival.

  24.  The British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology recently did a study in which: "the tests classified seven per cent of the participants as being strongly anti-gay and three percent as being anti-Lesbian, a further 35 per cent displayed some anti-gay predilection and 41 per cent some anti-lesbian prejudice. These negative implicit attitudes were stronger than those for age, gender, religion, disability or even ethnic origin" (Source www.medicalnewstoday.com 16 January 2009. Whilst it is accepted that other studies have revealed a greater public acceptance of LGB people, the evidence of homophobia in the political sphere and amongst the electorate demonstrates the barriers to election that LGB politicians face.

What are the problems and practical difficulties encountered—at any point in the process of selection and election—by members of these underrepresented groups who are looking to become MPs?

  25.  The problems and difficulties encountered by members of the LGB community who want to be involved in politics have to be considered in two different ways. The barriers for LGB candidates who decide to not disclose their sexuality are very different from those who are willing to publicly admit their sexual orientation from the start. Honesty has always been a major issue for the electorate with respect to their representatives in Parliament. If an MP discloses their sexual orientation at a later stage of their career, or especially if they are forced "out", then a perception of deception may arise.

  26.  If an LGB person who wishes to become an MP is unprepared to hide their sexual orientation at the start, then they will face more barriers to entry than a heterosexual person, as has been demonstrated. Given that becoming an MP is extremely competitive, it is unsurprising that many MPs are not "out" from the start of their candidacy. A vicious circle is thus perpetuated as dishonesty and homosexuality are inextricably linked in the public's mind. The more "out" MPs and Lords that there are, the less pressure there will be on all LGB MPs and Lords.

  27.  Standing for Parliament should not be looked at in isolation. Many MPs have used roles in local government, such as that of local Councillor as a "springboard" to becoming an MP. Many LGB people will be put off being a Councillor due to the lack of locally based inclusive and celebratory activities for LGB people.

  28.  A co-ordinated approach to encourage LGB people to apply for positions of authority within their local community would be very welcome. This could involve schools (as Governors), local authorities (as Councillors) and the NHS (as PCT Board Members) and other positions of responsibility which would give invaluable experience to a prospective MP and would also create a real environment of inclusivity across the public sector.

What actions could be taken by the Government to address disparities in representation?

  29.  This document is meant to uncover the unique barriers to public office which LGB people face. Specific government funded national research around any LGB issue is very rare, but a piece of research around LGB people's attitudes to public engagement and civic involvement seems timely, appropriate and relevant across the public sector.

  30.  The work done by politicians and LGB lobbyists in London is vital and has brought about some of the most significant legislation in support of the LGB community in this country. However, central Government's engagement with LGB people is currently unfocused and concentrated on London and London based organisations. The risk is that for an average LGB person (especially those outside of London) this process can seem remote and exclusive. Government needs to engage with the grass-roots organisations across the regions that speak to their communities.

What actions have been, or could be, taken by political parties, campaigning groups and others to address disparities in representation?

  31.  The visibility of political parties at Gay Pride events such as Manchester Pride is welcome, but if one wants to be fully inclusive, such visibility must increase, especially at smaller Pride events such as Oldham or Hull. The UK's national politics is dominated by two main Parties. The Conservative Party's historical legislative record has understandably alienated them from large sections of the LGB community. LGB people often feel the only main Party they could vote for is Labour. This perceived lack of choice has led to a further LGB disengagement with the political process.

  32.  The current language and voting behaviour of the Conservative front bench is welcomed by LGB people. However, we are unaware of any apology for Section 28 and other previous homophobic legislation. The Conservative Party cannot present itself as a viable option for many LGB voters or candidates until it is willing to draw a very public line over its past actions.

  33.  Until all parties and the civil service are willing to apologise for homophobic actions undertaken, the past behaviour of the public sector will cast a shadow over current efforts to engage with LGB communities. We note with interest the previous voting records of the Members of this Speaker's Conference with respect to equality legislation. We can only wonder what some of you will make of our comments and how much relevance you will place upon them.

What actions have been taken elsewhere in the UK and overseas, and by whom, to address similar concerns?

  34.  The value placed upon their LGB community by Manchester City Council is clear and evident to the city's vibrant LGB population. For more than 20 years the Council has pioneered an inclusive and celebratory approach to LGB needs and aspirations. Manchester has a lead Councillor for gay men's issues, a lead Councillor for lesbian's issues and two lead officer posts covering the same responsibilities.

  35.  The language used by the Council should be regarded as best practice across all public bodies: "The history of Manchester's LBGT community is an important part of the social and cultural history of the city and the North West…In addition Manchester has played an important role in the struggle against prejudice and homophobia and it is the birthplace of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality" (Source www.manchester.gov.uk)

And how can the success of such actions be measured?

  36.  A forward-thinking approach to commissioning by the Council and NHS bodies in the Manchester area (amongst others) has allowed the Lesbian & Gay Foundation to become the largest direct service provider to the LGB community in the country. Manchester City Council has recently been voted by readers of the UK's leading gay newspaper as the UK's Best Council or Local Authority (Source: www.lgf.org.uk 13 January 2009).

  37.  The Lesbian & Gay Foundation's North West strategy (included in our supporting evidence in Annex 2) includes three strategic aims which Government, political Parties, campaigning groups, public sector bodies and others can all play a part in realising. They are (1) developing an evidence base for the needs of the LGB (& Trans) sector; (2) to increase the knowledge and engagement of public sector partners and (3) to increase the capacity of the LGB & T voluntary and community sector.

  38.  In his foreword to the LGF's North West LGB & T strategy, Patrick White, the Executive Director of Policy for the North West Development Agency says:

  39.  "NWDA are proud to support the launch of this new strategy. We recognise that diversity in all its forms is a great social and economic asset to the North West, and pay tribute to the creativity and dynamism of the region's LGB&T communities. Compared to other equalities strands we know relatively little either about the barriers to economic opportunity you face in the workplace or the true extent of your contribution to the regional economy—but plan to put this right through research we are commissioning over the coming year, which can then be the basis for closer work together in the future."

  40.  This promise of considerate and financial partnership working is exactly what the LGB community wants to hear more of from Government, the Opposition and public sector bodies

  41.  In conclusion, the low visibility of LGB people and their concerns in Parliament needs to be urgently addressed by both LGB and non-LGB politicians. The estimated five and a half million LGB people in this country have a right to an authentic and identifiable voice at all levels of government.