LGBTory is working hard to encourage and support candidates from our community to stand as elected representatives, both through campaign days and financial support. LGBT people are still under-represented across all of our assemblies and parliaments, and the Conservative Party as a party of inclusion, is committed to helping them overcome any barriers to standing. Indeed, with 38 LGBT candidates, the Conservative party is leading the way.
A key way of achieving this is the Candidates Fund, which has already allocated thousands of pounds to out candidates in key marginal seats across the country, including candidates such as Ben Howlett and Emma Warman, along with LGBTory patrons Eric Ollerenshaw MP, Iain Stewart MP, and Stuart Andrew MP.
To continue this important to support, LGBTory held a fundraiser at the home of Westminster Councillor Jonathan Glanz, which was attended by well over 100 supporters. Polemic Daily Mail journalist Andrew Pierce spoke about the upcoming election and his long career in journalism.
We raised over £8,000 from tickets and donations on the evening. This will be used to support candidates for the election now less than 50 days away.
Speaking at the event, LGBTory Chairman Colm Howard-Lloyd said:
“At the next General Election the electorate faces a stark choice between an incompetent Labour administration led by Ed Miliband and Ed Balls and a prudent and responsible Conservative administration led by David Cameron.
On LGBT rights, the Conservatives have delivered same-sex marriage, enabled the deletion of historic sexual offence convictions and have launched a fund to tackle homophobic bullying in schools.
We in the Conservative Party have a proud record of having more out MPs than all of the other parties put together. It is important that we can continue this by electing as many LGBT politicians as possible to represent us in parliament."