Cameron pledges "heart and soul" commitment to gay equality

Last Sunday, in the wake of last week's unfortunate Chris Grayling row, I rang CCHQ and urged the Conservative Party to issue an unequivocal statement of support for gay people. As I wrote last Monday, David Cameron has a good story to tell.

The statement may not have come as quickly as I would have liked but - speaking to PinkNews - David Cameron has made his support for equality clear today:

"I believe heart and soul in equality: the whole idea of prejudice towards people on the basis of their sexuality is quite wrong and that’s why I back civil partnerships, why I told the Tory conference that commitment through marriage was equally valid whether between a man and a woman, a man and a man or a woman and woman – and it’s why a Conservative government will put new rules in place to tackle homophobia and support gay couples. Despite this, I am aware that there will remain some doubters. But have no fear: the Party has changed, the changes we have made are supported by those serving in my team and those changes are lasting. So far as I am concerned, it is one of the touchstone issues that define the modern Conservative Party."

In his Q&A with PinkNews, the Tory leader signals a willingness to quash convictions for now lawful gay sex.

Tim Montgomerie