- Conference
- 2015 National LGBT Conference
- Date
- 21 July 2015
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference notes that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Labour is 40 years old this year. LGBT Labour’s achievements in influencing Labour Party policy include:
1. Equal age of consent;
2. Repeal of Section 28;
3. Gender Recognition Act;
4. Civil Partnerships;
5. Fertility and adoption rights for lesbians;
6. Outlawing discrimination in provision of goods and services;
7. Making homophobia a hate crime;
8. Allowing LGBT people to openly serve in the Armed Forces.
Conference further notes that it was the votes of Labour Members of Parliament and Peers, influenced by the hard campaign work of LGBT Labour, which enabled same-sex marriage to become a reality. Conference applauds these achievements, but also recognises that there is much more to be done.
Conference notes that LGBT Labour produced a manifesto for the General Election. This manifesto contained a number of commitments, including:
A. Strengthening laws on LGBT hate crime;
B. Reviewing and updating gender identity law;
C. Turing’s Law to offer posthumous pardons to gay men convicted of homosexuality;
D. Age-appropriate compulsory sex and relationship education, including LGBT;
E. Toughening stance on LGBT bullying in schools;
F. Appointing an International LGBT Rights Envoy and take lead on promoting global LGBT equality;
G. Improving treatment of LGBT asylum seekers;
H. Working with the trans community to improve access to gender care services;
I. Improving action to tackle human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS);
J. Reviewing the restrictions on gay and bisexual men donating blood;
K. Improving LGBT representation in Parliament.
Conference regrets that, due to the general election result, these policy commitments will not become law. Conference however believes that the Labour Party must remain committed to these policies and expand upon them.
Conference also notes the productive joint work that has taken place between UNISON, LGBT Labour and the Labour Party, facilitated by the Labour Link. Conference believes that this could be further strengthened by affiliation of UNISON branches with LGBT Labour.
Conference therefore calls upon the national LGBT committee to:
I. Support LGBT Labour through the Labour Link to call for reaffirmed commitment by the Labour Party to the policies enshrined in Labour’s 2015 LGBT General Election manifesto;
II. Work jointly with LGBT Labour through the Labour Link in pushing for further LGBT equality in Labour Party policy;
III. Work with LGBT Labour on a programme of affiliation with UNISON branches.