Theresa May has become the first Prime Minister to end the exclusion of one of the UK’s most prominent LGBT+ rights campaigners from attending functions at 10 Downing Street.
Peter Tatchell will now be able to enter 10 Downing Street after Theresa May ended a ban on the human rights advocate from attending any functions at the exclusive address. It’s not known whether his ban was deliberate or just careless.
For a decade, Peter has found himself uninvited to an annual Pride party held at 10 Downing Street. The exclusion started during Tony Blair’s premiership to David Cameron’s. This is despite Peter’s unwavering fight for rights since 1972.
CREDIT: Monty McKinnen
Peter Tatchell said, “Since the inception of Downing Street LGBT Pride receptions a decade ago, I have been banned from attending by successive Prime Ministers – Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
“Despite my 51 years of campaigning, and my role in the UK’s first Pride parade in 1972, they apparently deemed me to be the unacceptable face of LGBT activism.
“I was therefore surprised and delighted that Theresa May has invited me to this year’s reception on 3 July – just days after I wrote to her urging compensation for gay men convicted under past anti-gay laws.
“I am not much fussed about attending such receptions but I am honoured to be asked and have accepted the invitation.
“I look forward to meeting the Prime Minister and reiterating my call for gay victims of homophobic laws, who suffered so badly, to receive government compensation.
“She has already acknowledged the grave injustice done to these men, so I hope she will go one step further and recognise that these men deserve recompense for the terrible trauma of criminalisation that they went through.”
This year’s annual LGBT Pride party takes place on the 3rd July.
