List of the first LGBT holders of political offices in the United Kingdom
From LGBT Archive
The following is a list of the first openly LGBT individuals to serve in selected political offices in the United Kingdom.
Contents
Party leaderships
- 2008, First out Leader of a Minor United Kingdom Political Party [1]
- Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green Party, MSP 2003–Present
- 2011, First out female Leader of a Major United Kingdom Political Party
- Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservative Party, MSP 2011–Present
- 2016, Second out female Leader of a Major Scottish Political Party
- Kezia Dugdale, Scottish Labour Party, MSP
British Parliament
House of Commons
- 1976, First Outed (female) MP[2]
- Maureen Colquhoun, Labour, MP 1974-1979
- 1984, First MP to come out in office,[3]
- Chris Smith, Labour, MP 1983-2005
- May 1997, First MP to be out before being elected
- Stephen Twigg, Labour, MP 1997-2005, 2010–Present
- Sep 1997, First Female MP to come out in office
- Angela Eagle, Labour, MP 1992–Present
- June 2001, First out Plaid Cymru MP
- Adam Price, Plaid Cymru, MP 2001-2010
- 2002, First Conservative MP to come out[4]
- Alan Duncan, Conservative, MP 1992–Present
- Jan 2005 First MP to come out as HIV positive[5]
- Chris Smith, Labour, MP 1983-2005
- May 2005, First out Liberal Democrat MP
- Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrats, MP 2005–Present
- May 2005, First Conservative MP to be out before being elected
- Nick Herbert, Conservative, MP 2005–Present
- May 2006, First MP to enter into a civil partnership
- David Borrow, Labour, MP 1997-2010
- 2008, First Female MP to enter into a civil partnership
- Angela Eagle, Labour, MP 1992–Present
- 2010, First (Conservative) Female MP to be out before being elected
- Margot James, Conservative, MP 2010–Present
- 2013, First MP to come out as bisexual
- Daniel Kawczynski, Conservative, MP 2005-present [6]
House of Lords
- First Bisexual Lord
- Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, Conservative, 1945
- First Out Lord
- Waheed Alli, Labour, 1998 (Baron Alli of Norbury)
- First Out Lady
- Deborah Stedman-Scott, Baroness Stedman-Scott, Conservative, 2010
European Parliament
- Jan 1999, First out UK MEP[7]
- Tom Spencer, Conservative, MEP 1979-1984, 1989-1999
- Jun 1999, First UK MEP to be out before office
- Michael Cashman, Labour, MEP 1999–2014
- 2009, First female UK MEP to be out before office, and first openly transgender MEP
- Nikki Sinclaire, UKIP (now Independent), MEP, 2009–2014
Subnational parliaments
Scottish Parliament
- at least by 2000, First out (Scottish Liberal Democrat) MSP[8]
- Iain Smith, Scottish Liberal Democrats, MSP 1999–2011
- 2003, First out Female MSP
- Margaret Smith, Scottish Liberal Democrats, 1999–2011 (Edinburgh West)
- 2003, First out Scottish Green MSP
- Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green Party, MSP 2003–Present
- 2007, First out SNP MSP
- Joe FitzPatrick, Scottish National Party, MSP 2007–Present
- 2011, First out Scottish Conservative MSP
- Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservative Party, MSP 2011–Present
- 2016, First out Scottish Labour MSP
- Kezia Dugdale, Scottish Labour Party, MSP 2011-Present
Welsh Assembly
- First out AM,[9]
- Ron Davies, Labour, 1999-2003
- Hannah Blythyn and Jeremy Miles, 2016.[10]
Municipal offices
England
- Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
- First transgendered Mayor, first openly lesbian Mayor: Jenny Bailey (2007–2008)
- Retford, Nottinghamshire
- First openly gay Mayor: Ian Campbell (elected 2010)[11]
- Mayor: Robert Crossman (1986)
- Lord Mayor: Colin Inglis (elected 2011)
- First openly gay Lord Mayor: Gary Millar (2013-2014)
- First openly-gay Leader of the Council: Sean Anstee (since 2014)[12]
- Haslemere, Surrey
- First Openly-Gay Deputy Mayor: Sahran Abeysundara (elected 2015)
- First members of the London Assembly: Brian Coleman and Richard Barnes - Conservative; and Darren Johnson - Green Party (elected 2000)
- First openly-gay Deputy Mayor: Richard Barnes (appointed 2008)
- First openly gay Mayor: Jonathan Simpson (elected 2010)[14]
- Mayor: Marc Cranfield-Adams (2007)
Wales
- First openly lesbian Mayor, with her partner as Mayoress: Jaci Taylor (2000-2001), Plaid Cymru.[15][16]
- First openly gay Mayor, first Mayor in a civil partnership: Guy Woodham (2012–2013)[17]
First openly Cabinet Member Layton Percy Jones (Plaid Cymru). Cabinet Member for Social Services 1999–2005
- First openly-bisexual Chairman of Council, Julian Meek (2012-2013), Plaid Cymru.[18]
See also
References
Based on the Wikipedia article of the same name.
- ↑ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5212571.ece Gillian Harris "The Greens shoots of recovery" The Times 23 November 2008
- ↑ http://everything2.com/title/Maureen+Colquhoun
- ↑ http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2005/jan/30/uk.aids Denis Campbell, "The pioneer who changed gay lives" The Guardian, 30 January 2005
- ↑ http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2002/jul/29/conservatives.alanduncan "Gay Tory frontbencher comes out" The Guardian, 29 July 2002
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4219501.stm "Former minister is HIV positive" BBC News, 30 January 2005
- ↑ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/tory-mp-daniel-kawczynski-comes-out-as-bisexual-8680343.html
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/269329.stm "Drugs scandal MEP quits" BBC News 31 January 1999
- ↑ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60829416.html
- ↑ http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2003/mar/10/uk.wales Patrick Wintour, "Ron Davies ends political career" The Guardian, 10 March 2003
- ↑ Stefan Rhys, "Assembly Election 2016: Wales elects its first openly gay AMs in Hannah Blythyn and Jeremy Miles". Wales Online, 6 May 2016.
- ↑ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/06/01/gay-man-becomes-britains-youngest-mayor/ "Gay man becomes Britain’s youngest mayor" Pink News" 1 June 2010
- ↑ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/02/07/gay-tory-becomes-leader-of-trafford-council-aged-26/
- ↑ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-12731.html V King Macdona, "Southwark votes in first openly gay mayor" Pink News 5 June 2009
- ↑ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/05/28/london-borough-of-camden-has-new-gay-mayor-and-mayoress/ Christopher Brocklebank, "London Borough of Camden has new gay mayor and mayoress" Pink News 28 May 2010
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/737319.stm "Lesbian row at town hall" BBC News 5 May 2000
- ↑ http://www.planetmagazine.org.uk/planet_extra/welsh_pride.html Norena Shopland, "Does Wales need Pride?" Planet Extra, 23 January 2014
- ↑ http://www.milfordhaventowncouncil.org.uk/Councillor%20G.%20Woodham.htm
- ↑ J Meek Entering Into the Mystery, Passion, Resurrection, Healing and Wholeness Abertillery: Gaudete Books, 2014 – refers to the writer's work as a council chairman and LGBT Christian rights activist.
