The news portal UK Gay News has thrown its weight behind the Greens in the Euro elections. In a statement made by the news site on Sunday May 31st,
“The [Green] party’s two current MEPs, Jean Lambert ( London ) and Caroline Lucas (South East) have served the European LGBT community well and their voting record is superb. There is no reason to believe that the Green MEPs in the new Parliament will not continue in the same way – it’s in their manifesto.”
Phelim Mac Cafferty on behalf of LGBTGreens stated:
“We are honoured to have such an endorsement at this important stage in the Euro campaign. It follows a series of endorsements in the last number of weeks. Of all parties standing in the Euro elections, we have the strongest lgbt policies and because we believe fundamentally in the rights of LGBT citizens, we have our own LGBT manifesto for the Euro elections.
“We are the only party to have such a high concentration of candidates who have signed the ILGA pledge which commits candidates to fighting for LGBT equality.
“Of course none of that would mean anything if it wasn’t backed up in action- just as well that the Green Party’s commitment to liberation for LGBT people is demonstrated in our action in local communities throughout England and Wales and of course the voting record of our 2 MEPs.
“During their ten years as Green MEPs Caroline and Jean have:
-Demanded the UN Human Rights Council adopt a resolution requiring worldwide decriminalisation of homosexuality- 54 countries declared the rights of LGBTs at the UN in December
– Opposed a Conservative led EU climb-down over outlawing homophobia and ageism
– Campaigned successfully to stop the deportation of Mehdi Kazemi, a gay Iranian, and Iranian lesbian Pegah Emambakhsh. Both faced certain execution had they been returned to Iran
– Denounced and called for an investigation into violence at Budapest Pride
– Campaigned for UK embassies to support Pride events throughout the former Soviet bloc.
“Campaigning carries on until the election on Thursday but I would still call on all LGBT voters to lend Greens your vote on Thursday and we will fight hard for your equality.”
ENDS
Notes
The endorsement appears: http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/09/May/3101.htm
The endorsement continued:
“And both MEPs have been formally recognised by their peers for their work as MEPs – Ms. Lambert in the equal rights/diversity field and Ms. Lucas for trade and industry.
“Like Green parties in most other countries across the world, including the American Greens, the UK party has robust equality and diversity policies for LGBT persons in their published platform.”
The LGBT Greens European Election Manifesto
1. The Greens will continue to campaign for:
–full LGBT equality, including full partnership, insurance, pensions, employment, and housing rights. This includes campaigning to rid ALL EU member states of homophobic and transphobic discrimination in access to goods and services, such as insurance and mortgages.
–all EU member states to comply with the EU directive outlawing discrimination against lesbians gay men and bisexuals in the workplace.
–equivalent and specific protection in society and in the workplace for trans citizens.
2. Greens will press for policing which reflects the diversity of the LGBT communities in the EU particularly in the new Eastern states, ensuring that homophobic behaviour by police officers is considered an explicit offence which can be remedied with disciplinary action. Also working with the police in deepening their relationship with the LGBT community, including LGBT organisations: improving the rapport between police forces and the LGBT community; addressing the continued under-reporting of hate crimes, and working with authorities to bring hate crime culprits to justice.
3. Greens will work to legalise same-sex marriages and registered partnerships across the EU, particularly in asylum legislation
4. Greens will campaign to
–extend the EU definition of "family" to include LGBT partnerships
–campaign for lgbt equal access to parenting and fertility treatment.
5. Greens will continue to lobby Police on non-prosecution of consenting, victimless gay offences, such as cruising. Police resources should be concentrated on violent, corporate and hate crimes and active, sustainable measures to create safer communities.
6. Greens will support a pan European HIV Action Plan:
–to improve safer sex education.
Greens will also campaign to
–cut transmission rates by remedying the financial hole in HIV services and large inadequacies in the provision and scope of HIV services
–upgrade the standard of treatment and after-care for people who have transmitted HIV. This will include pressing the UK government to resolve the under-funding and under-staffing of sexually-transmitted infection (STI) clinics.
7. Greens through their MEPs will lobby the European Commission to-
require all companies doing business with the European Union, or governments and local authorities within it, to be required to have equal opportunities policies that prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and HIV-positive people; thereby enabling local authorities to take a proactive role in encouraging businesses to end homo, bi and transphobic discrimination.
8. Greens propose to celebrate queer culture and history, for example by proposing the establishment of more Lesbian & Gay Museums.