LGBT

In a resolution sponsored by Liberal Democrat MEPs including London's Sarah Ludford the European Parliament has voted by a large majority to condemn new anti-gay legislation in Lithuania. The British Tories however abstained in the vote showing their hypocrisy regarding their attitude to the gay community.

In a move reminiscent of the Tories infamous 'section 28' Lithuania's parliament has amended a 'Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information' in order to ban and even criminalise material that 'agitates for homosexual or bisexual relations' or 'defies family values' from schools youth clubs public places and media likely to be viewed by children.

The European Commission has confirmed to the Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman London MEP Sarah Ludford that it is actively pursuing the UK government for possible infringement of European Union employment equality law over a religious test which may in particular exclude LGBT staff. Sarah Ludford commented:

"The Commission seems at last to be actively doing something about what I believe is a blatant UK breach of EU equalities law. Personal religious faith and religious freedoms must be respected but not at the expense of others' civil liberties and the UK must be made to bring its regulations into line with EU norms."

The Lithuanian Parliament rejecting a Presidential veto has confirmed a 'Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information'. This bans the "propaganda of homosexuality and bisexuality' from schools and other youth facilities.

The International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) has prepared an online pledge for MEPs and euro candidates to sign ahead of the June 4th European elections. It calls for the promotion of equality and combating discrimination based on sexual orientation gender identity and gender expression.

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford the party's European justice & human right spokeswoman is a prominent member of the European Parliament's gay and lesbian rights intergroup. She said:

London MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman has written to the Turkish Ambassador in London calling for a reversal of the recent ruling by an Istanbul court to ban the LGBT organisation Lambdaistanbul.

In her letter Baroness Ludford who is a member of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights says:

"This decision is deeply unhelpful in terms of Turkey's efforts to move towards EU norms of equal opportunities free speech and freedom of association which are also of course embedded in the European Convention on Human Rights to which Turkey already adheres."

Ahead of speaking at Pride in the Park Sarah Ludford MEP calls on the government to be more progressive regarding gay rights and to lead the way in Europe to adopt a 21st century approach to same sex and unmarried couples.

On the eve of the Pride in the Park Lib Dem Euro-MP for London Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP has called on the government to be less mealy-mouthed over gay rights in EU laws.

She said:

"We get mixed signals abroad as well as at home about how progressive this government is prepared to be. Although Tony Blair likes to call himself a moderniser he is too often prepared to kowtow to reactionary opinion.

European Liberal Democrats are determined to keep up the pressure for the EU and Member States to grant legal recognition to unmarried and same-sex partnerships.

Speaking from Strasbourg after a majority vote (1) in the European Parliament reaffirming EP support for this policy Liberal group justice spokeswoman Sarah Ludford Liberal Democrat MEP for London said:

"This is a core European human rights issue. In some countries like the UK people are still being denied legal rights like inheritance and recognition as next of kin because they choose not to or cannot marry. This must change if we believe in encouraging stable committed relationships."

The Foreign Office is issuing travel advice for gay men and lesbians for the first time in a step being praised by London's LibDem MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford.

Some of the advice is general and common sense such as taking out adequate insurance but there is also advice specifically affecting gay holidaymakers such as the suggestion that they should contact the British embassy or consulate where they want to travel to for localised advice.

Commenting Sarah Ludford said: "I am pleased that the Foreign Office is making it crystal clear that they are there to help gay travellers as much as anyone else. This advice will I am sure help a great many gay men and lesbians to travel in safety as sadly not everyone in the world is as enlightened as the average Londoner."

It is a privilege to follow the excellent speech of the noble Baroness Lady Rendell. I would like to thank my noble friend Lord Lester for the hard work that he has put into this Bill. His dedication to this cause springs out of his enormous experience and reputation as a human rights and equal opportunities lawyer. It is informed by great legal wisdom but also by his deep humanity.

The Government's position on same-sex civil partnerships is moving in the right direction according to London's LibDem MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford.

In her interview with www.epolitix.com back in early November the Equality Minister Baroness Morgan of Huyton stated:

"There is an increasing public debate on rights for same-sex partnerships and I think it's one that the Government is watching with interest because there are clearly areas where most people would recognise that at the moment there is some unfairness."