OUR LATEST ISSUE

Divider
SITE SEARCH
Divider
Divider
Gay News: Ken Livingstone commits himself to improving LGBT life in the capital if he is returned as Mayor of London
By: Nigel Robinson

Ken Livingstone

Livingstone promises greater equality for gay Londoners

 16 September 2010

 
 
 
 
In his document “A Mayor for Equality – Delivering for London” which is published today, Livingstone includes commitments to: 
  • Appoint an LGBT advisor and an LGBT advisory panel
  • Produce an Equality Strategy to consider the needs of LGBT Londoners in all the work of the Greater London Authority (GLA)
  • Enter the GLA into Stonewall’s Equality Index to ensure that the GLA is reinstated as the top gay-friendly public sector employer in the UK
  • Hold an annual gay Pride reception in City Hall and support other London Pride events such as Black Pride, Hackney Pride and Soho Pride
  • Encourage the Metropolitan Police to increase confidence and reporting, including hate crime reporting, in gay-friendly venues and communities centres across London
  • Ensure proactive work to combat homophobic bullying in London’s schools
  • Support the London Gay Games 2018 bid and other gay sporting events in the capital
 
“I am proud that London is one of the great LGBT capitals of the world,” he said. “We need to continually work to promote equality and tackle discrimination.
 
“Boris Johnson has downgraded important parts of work to tackle inequality, removed London government from the Stonewall equality index and abolished an annual Pride event at City Hall, whilst his friends in Whitehall are weakening the Equality Act which threatens the provision of equal services and employment for lesbian and gay Londoners.
 
“Today I am setting out new proposals to make London the number-one LGBT city in the world and which are a clear alternative to the weakening of equalities measures we are already seeing from the Government. 
 
“London needs a Mayor who will stand up for greater equality for gay and lesbian Londoners and is prepared to fight against homophobia, inequality and discrimination.”
 
Ken Livingstone is currently campaigning to become Labour’s official candidate to stand again Boris Johnson in the 2012 London Mayoral elections.
With less than a week to go before voting closes Livingstone has gained the support of 300 Labour councillors