Nick Clegg MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, has announced Jo Swinson, Lib Dem MP for East Dunbartonshire, as the new Equalities Minister. Jo has previously served as the Party's Shadow Equality Minister, and appeared at several LGBT+ Lib Dems conference events.
Caroline Pidgeon AM's motion to the London Assembly today threw its weight behind government proposals to allow same-sex couples to have civil marriage ceremonies. Building on the Assembly's long-standing record of support for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, Members called for the introduction of legislation in parliament to make same-sex marriages a reality.
LGBT+ Lib Dems members and supporters will soon be receiving our latest members magazine. Cover star Jeremy Browne MP tells us about his human rights work supporting LGBT+ equality abroad, and the challenges facing LGBT+ people he'll be responsible for in the Home Office.
Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford has condemned the banning of Belgrade Pride for the second year running. Serbia's Interior Ministry announced today that they would ban this year's Pride, claiming concerns over public safety following threats of violence and intimidation from some groups. The move has sparked condemnation from UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay who has urged Serbia to facilitate the rescheduling of Pride rather than preventing its members from exercising their fundamental freedoms.
Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, has issued a statement of support for the Act of Remembrance at St Paul's Cathedral this evening, which marks the first National Hate Crime Awareness week, 13th-19th October:
Commenting on the All Out-Invisible Parent campaign and its petition to the European Union calling for mutual recognition of same-sex families and their parental ties to their children across the EU, Lib Dem European justice & human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford said: