After a successful trip to Soho earlier this week Ken Livinsgtone has launched his lesbian and gay manifesto, “Making London the most lesbian and gay friendly city in the world”.
The document contains 20 key pledges for the LGBT community including a promise to working with schools and employers to stamp out homophobic bullying and homophobia.
There’s also a promise to support for the development of a LGBT museum. During the elections in 2004 the issue of a museum celebrating gay culture became a flash point between the Green and UKIP candidates.
Launching his manifesto Mr Livingstone said: “As Mayor, and throughout my political career, I have promoted rights for lesbians and gay men. If re-elected in May, I will work to ensure that London retains its reputation as a welcoming and safe place for lesbian and gay Londoners and visitors.”
“London is undoubtedly one of the great lesbian and gay capitals of the world and I want London to continue to celebrate lesbian and gay culture in all its aspects.”
Livingstone has also hardened his attack on Conservative rival Boris Johnson’s past comments on gay rights.
Speaking at the Stonewall hustings this weekend Mr Johnson clashed with members of the LGBT community including Pinknews.co.uk editor Tony Grew over comments equating Civil Partnerships to marriage between three men and a dog.
Mr Livingstone said “the job of the Mayor is to help take on and defeat every manifestation of bigotry and homophobia, not legitimise it with sentiments like those expressed by Boris Johnson in the past. Given what he has said about lesbian and gay people, as well as ethnic minorities, it is frankly astonishing that he should be coming to ask them to make him Mayor of this wonderfully open and tolerant city.”
