UK LibDem: 80% of gay and bisexuals back Simon Hughes for leader

80% of gay and bisexuals back Simon Hughes for leader

05-Feb-2006
PinkNews.co.uk Writer

Despite claims of hypocrisy from gay rights groups, almost 80% (79.7%) of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community have selected that Simon Hughes as their choice for Liberal Democrat leader.

88% of the readers of PinkNews.co.uk , the UK’s most visited gay news provider said that allegations of hypocrisy levelled at Mr Hughes should not affect his chances of securing the leadership.

Chris Huhne gained 17.3% of the vote with front-runner Sir Menzies Campbell receiving just 3%.

Benjamin Cohen, editor of PinkNews.co.uk said that Simon Hughes’s support is not surprising: “Even though you may be able to claim that Simon Hughes was wrong not to have come clean about his bisexuality, I don’t believe that you can label him as a hypocrite.

“As an MP over the past 23 years he consistently supported gay rights, campaigning for equalisation in the age of consent, the scrapping of section 28 and the introduction of Civil Partnerships.

“He never stooped to the level of other closeted MPs who masked their own sexuality with blatant homophobia within the House of Commons.

“The fact that Peter Tatchell told PinkNews.co.uk that he backed Simon Hughes for leader demonstrates that the LGBT community has moved on considerably since the 1983 Bermondsey by-election.”


You must quote PinkNews.co.uk as the source of the research.

Survey conducted over 4th February to residents in the UK (excluding Northern Ireland) balanced by residence and sexuality.