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UK Conservatives' Gay Flirtation Flounders

Author: Jonty Skrufff
Saturday, April 3, 2004
Attempts by Britain's Conservatives to re-brand themselves as gay-friendly, ran into difficulties this week when just five out of their 165 MPs attended the party's first ever 'gay summit'.

The party also scored an own goal when Andre Walker, an aide to Tory vice-chairman Andrew Rosendale, told the BBC homosexuality should be tolerated at best.

"I'm saying that a gay relationship is inferior to a heterosexual relationship," he declared.

"I'm sorry if that offends people but sooner or later that was going to come through."

Following the gay summit, Ben Summerskill from civil rights group Stonewall was less pessimistic, telling the Guardian 'we are delighted the Conservative party has opened this dialogue. But gay people will take the view that actions speak louder than words.'

In fact, two years ago, the party's current leader Michael Howard flaunted his gay-friendly credentials at their annual gay disco at the Bournemouth Conference, reportedly dancing with gusto to Abba's seminal disco anthem Dancing Queen.

"He was full of gay abandon," a fellow reveller told the Daily Telegraph at the time.

"Although I'm not sure he was aware that he was dancing with another chap."
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