07/05/2010
LGBT News - post-election edition
In today's e-mail newsletter: UK Election 2010 Results; Take Back Parliament; Controversial MPs who kept or lost their seats; Second openly-lesbian MP elected; BNP candidate sent abusive email to LGBT group; Talk Scotland Events Glasgow: Demo For Democracy; Oban: Your Rights - LGBT and the LAW!; Edinburgh: Post Election Analysis; Working for All Director, Equality Network; Development Officer: Families of the Future
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UK General Election 2010
Results as of 15:29 7th May, with 646 constituencies declared out of 649: Conservatives 303 (36.1%), Labour 257 (29.1%), LibDems 57 (23%), SNP 6, Sinn Fein 5, Plaid Cymru 3, Green 1, others 18.
Take Back Parliament
A wide range of civil society groups have come together under the
Take Back Parliament banner to call for a fair voting system, including Power2010, the Electoral Reform Society, the religion and society thinktank Ekklesia, Unlock Democracy, the New Economics Foundation, Friends of the Earth, Make Votes Count, Operation Black Vote, Greenpeace, the Fawcett Society (closing the inequality gaps for women) and others. A spokesperson said: "We now have a once-in-a-generation chance to fix the political system after Britain's broken election. We hope people will join the new campaign to 'take back Parliament' - starting with a petition and the Demo for Democracy in George Square Glasgow and in Parliament Square London and other locations across the UK, Saturday 8 May." (
Ekklesia)
Controversial MPs who kept or lost their seats
Chris Grayling, who was secretly filmed telling a meeting last month that he agreed B&B owners should be allowed to bar gay couples, held his Epsom and Ewell seat: Julian Lewis, who said that he thought being gay was more dangerous than being in the Army, kept his New Forest East seat.
But John Mason, the former MP for Glasgow East, lost his seat to Labour MP Margaret Curran: Mason had put forward a number of
homophobic amendments to the Equality Act, which were discussed in Parliament last year.
Philip Lardner, a candidate for North Ayrshire and Arran, who said he believed being gay was "not normal" came third in his seat, and Philippa Stroud, who allegedly believed gay people were possessed by demons, came a close second in the Sutton and Cheam constituency. Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland's First Minister and husband of anti-gay MP Iris Robinson has lost his Westminster seat as a DUP MP. (
Pink News,
Pink Paper,
Metro)
Second openly-lesbian MP elected
Margot James has become the UK parliament's second out lesbian after being elected the Conservative MP for Stourbridge. The only other openly-lesbian MP is Angela Eagle, Labour MP for Wallasey, who retained her Merseyside seat. (
Pink Paper)
BNP candidate sent abusive email to LGBT group
The
Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Centre is seeking advice from police after receiving an abusive email from a BNP candidate. Robert West, who stood as a BNP candidate for the Lincoln constituency (and came 4th ) responded to a questionnaire which was sent to a number of candidates by the Leicester LGBT Centre by stating that gays are “dirty and disgusting”. (
Pink Paper)
Talk Scotland Events
Glasgow: Demo For Democracy
Meet at 2pm in George Square, 8th May, wear purple - the traditional colour of campaigns for the suffrage who throughout the years have struggled to deepen democracy. A large
coalition of organisations, from environmental groups to the labour movement, to faith groups and community activists, are joining the call for change.
Oban: Your Rights - LGBT and the LAW!
1pm-3pm, 8th May, Fun, informal workshop about LGBT laws in Scotland. Please get in touch with Katrina at Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland on 07818 287 053 for more information (including venue!) if you'd like to come.
Edinburgh: Post Election Analysis
The Institute of Governance at the University of Edinburgh invites participants to a Post Election Analysis round-table event on
28th May 9.30am - 1.30pm at the Old College, University of Edinburgh. The event will be chaired by David McCrone and among the contributors will be the distinguished Professor John Curtis. Places are strictly limited. Please contact Lindsay Adams (Ladams@ed.ac.uk) for more information. The seminar will be held in the Raeburn Room, Old College, University of Edinburgh, South Bridge.
Working for All
Director: Equality Network
Edinburgh / £34,284 starting salary
The Equality Network is Scotland's leading policy and influencing organisation for our LGBT communities. It has a high reputation across wide equality and political fields and is now being recognised at a European level. Following a very successful first decade, we are looking for a Director to take us to the next level.
We are looking for a dynamic individual with strong skills in strategic planning, people and financial management and who combines these with strong negotiating and influencing skills.
www.equality-network.org/vacancies
Development Officer: Families of the Future
Edinburgh / £29,853 to £35,646
This is an exciting opportunity to take a key role in an innovative project bringing together the University of Edinburgh and the voluntary sector to address issues of parenting. As an excellent organiser and communicator, you will have a track record in action planning and will bring partnership working and interpersonal skills along with an understanding of how social research evidence can be used by the voluntary sector. The post is based at the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, University of Edinburgh, and is supported by the National Lottery funded through Big Lottery Fund. The post is fixed term until 7 March 2013. Ref: 3012820. Closing date: 21 May 2010
www.jobs.ed.ac.uk
You can now register and add events to the National LGBT Forum:
www.scottishlgbt.org/Events
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