Memo to Stephen Fry: Don't rewrite lesbian and gay political history over EU

Politics.co.uk has an interesting story about Stephen Fry and Eddie Izzard writing to David Cameron - in tandem with trade unions - about the Conservatives EU co-operation with the Polish Law & Justice Party. Patrick Stewart and comedienne Jo Brand - who often shows up at Labour Party events - have also signed the letter concerned.

Part of the letter reads: "Your Party's decision to host an LGBT event at conference is a good step in the right direction. But it will seem empty - a two faced gesture - if in the same week you fawn over allies whose homophobia has no place in modern Manchester, in modern Britain, or in Europe. Mr Cameron we want to believe the Conservative party has really changed - please help us by rescinding the invite to the Polish Law and Justice Party and urging them either to change their views or quit your new European group."

Now, this blogger feels qualified to respond to this letter. This blog is authored by a gay man who was very actively involved in arguably the biggest gay political campaign of modern times - the 1994 effort to equalise the age of consent.

The 1994 bid to equalise the gay age of consent failed. Equality was later delivered by Tony Blair who, when he became Prime Minister, invoked the Parliament Act to make sure gay men had equality in that regard before going on to deliver further equality for the lesbian and gay communities. On LGBT politics, Tony Blair was amazing. Indeed, when the 1994 campaign was in Parliament, Tony Blair's speech in favour of equality from the Opposition benches was stirring, powerful and heartfelt.

However, let us not forget who was the main political face and energy of trying to deliver equality for gay men in 1994. It was Conservative MP Edwina Currie.

The Conservative Party had a strong female politician who worked tirelessly for the lesbian and gay community in 1994. It was Edwina Currie, and any attempt to delete Edwina Currie's efforts from history should be treated with contempt. She was a hero of the LGBT community in 1994 - and a very, very nice woman in real life, too.

During the campaign, there were quite a few celebs who lent their support. As someone very involved with Stonewall at the time, this blogger can recall who those celebs were.

Can't remember ever having seen Eddie Izzard. Or remember hearing him say anything.

Stephen Fry and Jo Brand - from memory, they attended a reception in Westminster that had been put on by Edwina Currie (Conservative) MP. Also at that event was Eastenders actress Pam St. Clement (Pat Butcher).

They - Fry and Brand - may have done more, but this blogger cannot remember what that might have been.

Definitely did not see or hear from Patrick Stewart, as far as this blogger's memory is concerned.

The main celebrities who threw their energy into the 1994 campaign - led by Conservative MP Edwina Currie - were Sir Ian McKellen (an utterly wonderful, most kind-hearted, sincere and down-to-earth gentleman) and former Eastenders actor Michael Cashman.

Cashman is now a Labour Party MEP.

However, we digress.

Some of the 'celebs' who have signed that letter to David Cameron have long standing relationships with the Labour Party. Some of them are qualified to have an opinion through their track record on LGBT equality issues. Some of them had an opportunity to work for important LGBT equality matters back in 1994. And some of them failed to register in the consciousness of this blogger who was, at that time, very involved with the campaign led by Stonewall.

It appeared, from what this blogger remembers, that Sir Ian McKellen was left to get on with most of what the gay community was trying to achieve in respect of equality back then. It was Sir Ian McKellen who toured regional TV and radio studios, giving interviews all over the place, giving up his free time to man phones in the Stonewall offices.

And it was Conservative MP Edwina Currie who put the amendment forward to try to equalise the age of consent.

True, Conservative MPs defeated her amendment.

But what happened in 1994 is not being clearly represented in the letter that has been sent to David Cameron and widely publicised.

And it appears to this blogger to be a instance of political partisanship rather than any concern of pending danger to any member of the LGBT community in Britain posed by a political party in Poland.

If these celebs feel the need to campaign against something, maybe they should concentrate on lyrics in certain genres of modern music. Far more influential in Britain than a Polish political party.

And, as a British gay man, this blogger is now far more concerned about Labour's terrifying record on civil liberties than we are concerned about whether the Conservatives approve of who we find sexually attractive.

Tony Blair delivered on LGBT equality issues. Tony Blair's determination to do so should be acknowledged. And Tony Blair's track record on LGBT equality should be compared with that of Gormless. The track records do differ.

But since Tony Blair delivered, there really are few issues of LGBT concern that differ from those of the rest of the populace.

So, where is the public letter from these celebs to Gormless and ZaNuLiebour about the dismantling of our civil liberties and the creation of a police state? Or about lying when promising us a referendum on the EU Constitution / Lisbon Treaty?

Sorry, their letter to Cameron is such a pointless distraction and - again in this bloggers view - politically partisan in motivation.