LGBT causes not getting support from politicians

Dear Editor

I am utterly disgusted at the response from the Tories in your recent story on Stephen Kerr’s lack of support for LGBT charities (Observer, July 27 2018).

I am very familiar with both the Equality Network and the Time for Inclusive Education campaign and I know that they have worked hard, contacting every MP and MSP to gain support for their causes.

In my view an MP would have to choose not to have supported these equality charities.

In the story, the Tory spokesperson replied with some garbage about a‘Tory Scum Out’banner at the march for independence through Stirling in June.

What the spokesperson should have addressed was the point that LGBT people are not seeing the support that they need from their MP.

If a banner that says‘scum’is the most offensive thing to the Tories when gay people are facing discrimination, bullying, abuse and high rates of mental ill health and suicide, then they really need to have a word with themselves.

We have made huge progress as a country in terms of LGBT equality and Scotland is consistently at the top of the European leader board in terms of legal protection for gay people. It is a real shame that the politics and values of Mr Kerr and his Tory colleagues do not appear to run parallel with who we want to be as a society.

Dr K A McGregor Causewayhead