National Student Pride comes to Brighton

I spent yesterday afternoon at National Student Pride at Oceana in Brighton.  What a fantastic event.

Nick Herbert, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, represented the Conservatives on the final panel of the day - with Peter Tatchell, Juliet Williams of the Lib Dems and Des Turner MP for Labour.  And what Nick Herbert had to say was very interesting - the vote of gay, bisexual or trans men and women should not belong to any particular party and as we reach equality in the eyes of legislature, society must continue to work against homophobia and hate.  He mentioned homophobic bullying in schools and problems in football terraces - both of which must be addressed.

It was interesting to hear a senior Conservative talking about equality in such forceful terms and it confirms what many of the 'new generation' Conservatives know already - the Conservative party has changed, enormously.

One final comment from one of our younger supporters from the floor during the discussion.  He said that he had experienced more harassment from the gay community for being a Tory than he had from Tories for being gay!  Time for change!

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