Tory becomes second out lesbian in Parliament
May 7th, 2010 by Chloe.Setter
Conservative Margot James has become the second publicly out lesbian in Parliament after winning the Stourbridge seat in the West Midlands.
She won 42.7% of the vote in her constituency, beating Labour rival Lynda Waltho, who managed 31.7%.
James joins Labour MP Angela Eagle who has been the only out lesbian in the UK for some time. Eagle held on to her Wallasey, Merseyside, seat with 51.8% of the vote.
Tory MP James is a former vice-chairman of the Conservative Party and lives in South Kensington with her partner Jay Hunt – a BBC television presenter for programmes including Would Like To Meet.
She has previously said that she finds labels about her sexuality “limiting”.
“I don’t see myself as gay this or lesbian that; I think it’s all very limiting. But that’s not to say I don’t respect people whose instincts and being and choice are very strictly for one gender or the other,” she said in an interview in 2006.
In 2009, she ranked in the top 50 on The Independent’s Pink List of the 101 most influential gay men and women.
More power to her. this is exciting to see.
Rory ∼ May 9th, 2010 6:59 amWell now that the Lib Dems and Tories have formed an unprecedented coalition I pray pray pray that LGBT people( labels or no labels) are valued as equal and are fairly treated. Fingers crossed that if Conservative policies have made this woman’s pulse race then they can’t be all bad….
meagain ∼ May 11th, 2010 9:33 pm