"As London’s first ever out gay Mayor I will be working to enhance London’s role as a world class gay-friendly city. My plans include establishing a Lesbian & Gay History Museum to celebrate queer history and culture. At the same time, I recognise that there is no room for complacency and will be working to stamp out anti-gay prejudice in the police, business and schools and crack down on homophobic hate crimes," said Darren.
Peter Tatchell, who recently joined the Green Party and advised Darren on his manifesto for a gay-friendly London, commented, "The Green Party is getting my vote. It goes one step further than the other parties. Greens not only want to make London a homophobia-free zone, they positively and proudly celebrate queer culture. Go, Greenies, Go."
Darren’s manifesto for a gay-friendly London:
1. Work to maintain and enhance London as a world-class gay-friendly city: celebrating queer history and culture with the establishment of a Lesbian & Gay Museum, and supporting community organisations serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities.
2. Full LGBT equality, including partnership, insurance, pension, employment and housing rights.
3. Lobby the police to adopt a Homophobic Hate Crime Action Plan: queer-bashing hotspots to be identified and targeted to bring the culprits to justice.
4. LGBT representation on the Metropolitan Police Authority to ensure a real say over policing priorities and the appointment of senior officers.
5. Non-prosecution of consenting, victimless gay offences, such as cruising. Police resources to be concentrated on violent, corporate and hate crimes.
6. Homophobic remarks and behaviour by police officers to be made an explicit offence under the police disciplinary code.
7. Equal opportunities and non-discrimination on the grounds of sexuality, gender identity and HIV status.
8. Support for a HIV Action Plan to improve safer sex education, remedy local inadequacies in the provision of HIV services, and upgrade the standard of treatment and care – including pressuring the government to resolve the under-funding and under-staffing of sexually-transmitted infection (STI) clinics.
9. All companies doing business with the GLA to be required to have equal opportunity policies that prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-positive people; thereby enabling the GLA to take a proactive role in encouraging businesses to end homophobic discrimination.
10. Work to ensure local authorities and schools promote LGBT equality, acceptance and respect in their education policies, and press the government to introduce a statutory obligation on local authorities and schools to combat homophobic prejudice, discrimination and bullying.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Photo opportunity: Darren Johnson, Green Party candidate for London Mayor, and Peter Tatchell launching manifesto on 29th April 2004, 11.30am Old Compton Street