Today the Member of Parliament for Eastleigh, Mims Davies, sat on the front bench of the House of Commons as the Minister for Women and Equalities and Portsmouth MP, Penny Mordaunt, announced the Government’s 75 Point LGBT Action Plan.
The Plan was published following the world’s largest survey of the LGBT community, which received over 108,000 responses.
The ground-breaking new UK action plan includes banning conversion therapy, improving the response to LGBT hate incidents and supporting LGBT students and teachers to improve diversity and tolerance in educational settings.
Eastleigh’s MP, Mims Davies, has long championed the rights of the LGBT community in Eastleigh as well as across the UK and around the world. Mims previously called on Eastleigh Borough Council to fly the LGBT flag and has welcomed that Eastleigh will be holding its very own Pride event later this year.
Commenting today, Mims said:
“At a time when the LGBT community continue to be persecuted around the world this announcement sends the strongest possible message that this Government and this country is proud of our LGBT community and will work to ensure that they aren’t faced with unfairness or inequality.
“Indeed, we are fortunate to have a truly brilliant LGBT policing team in Hampshire, and I am particularly pleased that the Plan recognises that extra support is needed to improve the response that they are able to instigate in response to LGBT hate incidents.
“The commitments within the 75 Point Action Plan will build upon the work already carried out by the Conservatives in Government to equalise marriage, posthumously pardon men for now abolished offences and introduce the much anticipated consultation on the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which will be brought forward this summer.
“Many of the findings within the results from this survey show that while in the UK we pride ourselves on being an accepting society, there remains much more work to do. I was particularly sorry to hear that so many same-sex couples feel unable to hold hands in public, and will be showing them my support by joining the LGBT community in our area at Eastleigh Pride later this year.”
The Conservative MP for Eastleigh - a former member of the Women and Equalities Select Committee - has also worked closely with members of the transgender community, and last year joined Eastleigh constituent and LGBT campaigner, Tara Maclachlan, for a meeting with the Equalities Minister.
The Government has committed £4.5million of funding to addressing inequality and support the delivery of actions in the plan in areas including health, education, personal safety and the work place.
The 75 Point Action Place was published by the Women and Equalities Office on the 3rd July 2018, and can be viewed in full by visiting: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lgbt-action-plan-2018-improving-the-lives-of-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-people
UK charity Stonewall offers a whole range of support to the LGBT community. Should anyone feel that they need support, they should visit: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/help-and-advice