Is It Actually Nick Clegg We Should Be More Worried About Than David Cameron In Terms Of Future Gay Rights?

Seen to be the most gay friendly Conservative leader that the party has ever had, our new prime minister,  David Cameron, could act to surprise us now he’s in power with some hard hitting gay rights legislation being pushed through.

Well that’s if his homophobic party members don’t get in the way…. oh and he actually learns a bit more about gay rights, something he wasn’t that hot on when questioned in the lead up to the election.

Speaking outside 10 Downing Street last night, Cameron said that following his party’s failure to get a majority, he would be leading a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, something that many believe will see Nick Clegg take up the role of deputy prime minister.

So just how big a shift would this new structure have in terms of the position of the most powerful people in government on gay rights?

Using the voting records of both, available from the Public Whip, whilst his party may have acted to vote against many gay rights policies, David Cameron’s own  gay rights voting record to date (something he’s often had trouble recalling) has seen him vote “moderately” for  equal gay rights:

and his potential new deputy? Well Nick Clegg is as relative newcomer, but on the votes he has participated in, he acts to fall into the same category of a moderate voter.

So what does this mean in contrast to the outgoing government? In terms of the leaders, Gordon Brown and David Cameron actually act to fall into the same “moderate” category, and Harman and Clegg? Well this is where things are a little different. Clegg is seen as a moderate voter, but Harriet Harman’s voting record has seen her fall into the category of being a strong supporter of gay rights legislation.

This means that whilst the leaders may be toeing the same “lets not upset anyone and keep it neutral” line that allows them to keep everyone happy, the person that the gay community should perhaps be more worried about is our new potential deputy prime minister. With Harriet Harman that one step removed and more able to speak out, we did have something of a strong playing card in the old administration that forced a more progressive route. If the new administration turns out to be a Clegg / Cameron match up, the likelihood may not be that we go backwards but that we don’t go anywhere at all.

You can learn more about the voting records of these MPs and your own at They Work For You.