List of the first openly LGBT holders of political offices in the United Kingdom
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The following is a list of the first openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender individuals to serve in selected political offices in the United Kingdom.
Party leaderships
- 2008, First out male Leader of a Political Party in Scotland [1]
- Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green Party, MSP 2003–Present
- 2011, First out female Leader of a Political Party in Scotland[2]
- Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservative Party, MSP 2011–2019
- 2018, First out male leader of a Political Party in Wales[3]
- Adam Price, Plaid Cymru, AM 2016-Present
- 2020, First black, bisexual leader of a political party in the United Kingdom[4]
- Mandu Reid, Women's Equality Party, since 2020
Cabinet
- 1997, First male Cabinet minister to be out before being appointed[5]
- Chris Smith, Labour, MP 1983–2005
- 2016, First male Cabinet minister to come out in office[6]
- David Mundell, Conservative, MP 2005–present
- 2016, First female Cabinet minister to come out in office[7]
- Justine Greening, Conservative, MP 2005–2019
British Parliament
House of Commons
- 1597, First known LGBT Member of Parliament[8]
- Anthony Bacon, Independent, elected as MP for Wallingfor in 1593
- 1976, First outed (female) MP[9]
- Maureen Colquhoun, Labour, MP 1974–1979
- 1984, First MP to come out in office[10]
- Chris Smith, Labour, MP 1983–2005
- May 1997, First MPs to be out before being elected
- Stephen Twigg, Labour, MP 1997–2005, 2010–2019[11]
- Ben Bradshaw, Labour, MP 1997-present[12]
- Sep 1997, First female MP to come out in office[13]
- Angela Eagle, Labour, MP 1992–Present
- June 2001, First out Plaid Cymru MP[3]
- Adam Price, Plaid Cymru, MP 2001–2010
- 2002, First Conservative MP to come out[14]
- Alan Duncan, Conservative, MP 1992–2019
- Jan 2005, First MP to come out as HIV positive[5]
- Chris Smith, Labour, MP 1983–2005
- May 2005, First out Liberal Democrat MP[15]
- Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrats, MP 2005–2015
- May 2005, First Conservative MP to be out before being elected[16]
- Nick Herbert, Conservative, MP 2005–2019
- Jan 2006, First MP to be outed as bisexual[17]
- Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat, MP 1983–2015
- May 2006, First MP to enter into a civil partnership[18]
- David Borrow, Labour, MP 1997–2010
- 2008, First female MP to enter into a civil partnership[19]
- Angela Eagle, Labour, MP 1992–present
- 2010, First female MP to be out before being elected, and first out Conservative female MP[20]
- Margot James, Conservative, MP 2010–2019
- 2013, First MP to voluntarily come out as bisexual[21]
- Daniel Kawczynski, Conservative, MP 2005–present
- 2015, First MP to be out as bisexual before being elected; First female MP to be out as bisexual[22]
- Cat Smith, Labour, MP 2015-present
- 2020, First MP to come out as pansexual[23]
- Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat, MP 2017–present
House of Lords
- First out Peer[24]
- Lord Alli, Labour, 1998-present
- First out female Peer [25]
- Deborah Stedman-Scott, Baroness Stedman-Scott, Conservative, 2010-present
European Parliament
- Jan 1999, First out UK MEP[26]
- Tom Spencer, Conservative, MEP 1979–1984, 1989–1999
- Jun 1999, First UK MEP to be out before office[27]
- Michael Cashman, Labour, MEP 1999–2014
- 2013, First openly transgender UK MEP[28]
- Nikki Sinclaire, UK Independence Party (later Independent), MEP 2009–2014
- 2019, First only gay and black UK MEP[29]
- Louis Stedman-Bryce, Brexit Party (later Independent), MEP 2019-2020
Scottish Parliament
- First out MSP[30]
- Iain Smith, Scottish Liberal Democrats, MSP 1999–2011
- 2003, First out Female MSP[31]
- Margaret Smith, Scottish Liberal Democrats, 1999–2011
- 2003, First out Scottish Green MSP[32]
- 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[2]
- Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservative Party, MSP 2011–Present
- 2016, First out Scottish Labour MSP[33]
- Kezia Dugdale, Scottish Labour Party, MSP 2011–Present
Scottish Government
- 1999, First out minister[30]
- Iain Smith, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Deputy Minister for Parliament
- 2016, First out Cabinet minister[34]
- 2016, First out female minister[35]
National Assembly for Wales
- First out AM,[36]
- Ron Davies, Labour, 1999–2003
- First out cabinet secretary to be appointed Jeremy Miles, Labour, 2017 -[37]
- First out minister to be appointed Hannah Blythyn, Labour, 2017 -[37]
Northern Ireland Assembly
- First out MLA[38]
- John Blair, Alliance, 2018 -
Municipal offices
England
- Bolton
- Horwich Town Council: First open lesbian as mayor (2013 - 2014 ) civil partner mayoress: Christine A. Root[39]
- Brighton & Hove City Council
- First out committee chair and group leader Paul Elgood (1999 - 2012)
- Bristol
- First out Trans councillor and first to transition while holding elected public office: Rosalind Mitchell (1997) [40]
- Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
- First trans mayor: Jenny Bailey (2007–2008)[41]
- Camden
- First openly gay Mayor & Mayoress (2010 / 2011) [Jonathan Simpson and Amy Lame][42]
- Durham
- First openly gay councillor in the UK and first known openly gay candidate for UK elected office: Sam Green (1972)
- Essex – Epping Forest District Council
- Gavin Chambers (2012–present), mayor of the parish council (2012–2013)[43]
- Hackney
- First openly gay directly elected mayor: Philip Glanville (2016–present)[44][45]
- Islington
- Mayor: Robert Crossman (1986)[46]
- Kingston upon Hull
- Lord Mayor: Colin Inglis (elected 2011) Council Leader 2003–2005, Police Authority Chair 2000–05[47]
- Liverpool
- First openly gay Lord Mayor: Gary Millar (2013–2014)[48]
- Manchester
- First openly gay Lord Mayor: Carl Austin-Behan (2016–2017)[49]
- Salford
- First openly gay Mayor: Paul Dennett[50]
- Trafford
- First openly gay leader of the council: Sean Anstee (since 2014)[51]
- Haslemere, Surrey
- First openly gay deputy mayor: Sahran Abeysundara (elected 2015)[52]
- First openly gay mayor: Sahran Abeysundara (elected 2016)[52]
London
- Greater London Authority
- First members of the London Assembly: Brian Coleman, Andrew Boff & Richard Barnes - Conservative & Darren Johnson - Green Party (elected 2000)[53]
- First openly gay deputy mayor: Richard Barnes (appointed 2008)[54]
- Southwark
- First openly gay mayor: Jeff Hook:[55]
- Camden
- First openly gay mayor: Jonathan Simpson (elected 2010)[56]
- Richmond
- Mayor: Marc Cranfield-Adams (2007)[57]
Wales
- Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
- First openly lesbian mayor, with her partner as mayoress: Jaci Taylor (2000–2001), Plaid Cymru.[58][59]
Rhondda Cynon Taf
- First openly gay cabinet member Layton Percy Jones (Plaid Cymru). Cabinet Member for Social Services 1999 - 2005[60]
- Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire
- First openly gay mayor, first mayor in a civil partnership: Guy Woodham (2012–2013)[61][62]
- First openly gay mayor and deputy mayor: William Elliott (mayor) and Colin Sharp (deputy mayor)[63]
- Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent
- First openly bisexual chairman of council, Julian Meek (2012–2013), Plaid Cymru.[64]
References
- ^ Harris, Gillian (2008-11-23). "The Greens shoots of recovery". The Times. London.
- ^ a b Brooks, Libby (2018-09-28). "Ruth Davidson: 'We're not as far along in the conversation about mental health as we think'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
- ^ a b "Gay politician Adam Price elected leader of Welsh party Plaid Cymru - PinkNews · PinkNews". www.pinknews.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
- ^ https://divamag.co.uk/2019/08/29/mandu-reid-the-personal-is-political/
- ^ a b Alleyne, Richard (2005-01-31). "MP reveals why he waited 17 years before admitting he was HIV-positive". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
- ^ "Minister says 'coming out was difficult'". 2019-02-18. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
- ^ Wilkinson, Michael; Mendick, Robert (2016-06-25). "Pro-EU minister Justine Greening reveals she is gay at London Pride saying 'sometimes you are better off out'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
- ^ http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/bacon-anthony-1558-1601.
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(help); Text "BACON, Anthony (1558-1601), of Gorhambury, Herts. and Essex House, London." ignored (help) - ^ "Maureen Colquhoun - Everything2.com".
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- ^ Legge, James (2013-06-30). "Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski comes out as bisexual". The Independent. London.
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- ^ "Layla Moran: Potential Lib Dem leadership candidate becomes first MP to come out as pansexual". The Independent. London. 2020-02-01.
- ^ Kellaway, Kate (2017-05-21). "Glad to be gay: leading figures on 50 years of liberation". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
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- ^ "Drugs scandal MEP quits". BBC News. 1999-01-31. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
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- ^ Day, Aaron (17 November 2013). "Former UKIP MEP reveals she is the UK's first transgender Parliamentarian". Pink News. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ "The Brexit Party's only Scottish MEP just quit over party's selection of candidate who 'declared war' on LGBT community". PinkNews - Gay news, reviews and comment from the world's most read lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans news service. 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- ^ a b "Gay MSP Rapped for Clause 28 Campaign by E-Mail" by Mackenna, Ron - Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland), March 3, 2000 | Online Research Library: Questia Reader". www.questia.com. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
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- ^ a b "Three gay and lesbian AMs 'a milestone'". 2016-05-07. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
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- ^ "Councillor hopes to keep Buckhurst Hill seat- while also aiming for Welsh Assembly". East London and West Essex Guardian Series. Retrieved 2019-02-19. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/06/01/gay-man-becomes-britains-youngest-mayor/%7Ctitle = Gay man becomes Britain's youngest mayor|author = Staff Writer|publisher = PinkNews.co.uk|date = 1 June 2010}}
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- ^ William Elliott
- ^ Meek, J (2014). Entering Into the Mystery, Passion, Resurrection, Healing and Wholeness. Abertillery: Gaudete Books. – refers to the writer's work as a council chairman and LGBT Christian rights activist.