Last weekend was National Student Pride. I am a proud organiser of this annual event as it brings together young people from across the country to celebrate the freedom and rights of the LGBT community in the United Kingdom. However, while we sat back and enjoyed discussions championing who we are, elsewhere in the world we could have been handed a jail sentence, or, worst yet, sentenced to death.
During Labour’s previous time in government we changed the landscape for the LGBT community in our country. The conversation of progress no longer remained outside parliament, but instead was voiced at the heart of power. As a party we both repealed hate and fought for equality, leading to the legal victories we now enjoy. It is that vision for LGBT rights that must continue under the next Labour government.
As Ed Miliband said himself at last year’s annual conference: ‘We have to face the fact that internationally things, if anything, are going backwards’ and ‘we cannot just let that happen’. I was proud to see this as the introduction to Michael Cashman’s appointment as our envoy on LGBT rights across the globe. It is this foundation that must lead to a Foreign and Commonwealth Office that has an explicit strategy to fight for LGBT rights across the world, and in particular decriminalisation.
However, is this not diplomatically risky? Now I can understand the concerns of those who picture a strategy involving UK diplomats marching into Iran with rainbow flags flying. However, not only should such a view be left to fanciful political sketches, but also best of luck to anyone simply wanting to try that tactic. Instead we should see this objective manifesting itself in British leadership.
If we have an FCO that is working explicitly to fight for LGBT rights, we can build an international stage that hosts the pressure of a coalition of countries. Now, perhaps more than ever before, we have seen that the international community can carry guidance within nations’ politics and culture. In turn this can lead to dialogue or a weight that leads to change. Consequently, we can champion the end of illegality of homosexuality.
Ten years may seem either ambitious or merely arbitrary. However, it is essential we have a target date. Too often human rights pledges are written as some vague philosophical end game. In order for real change and action to take place we need a milestone to work towards, and to pressure any British government.
Furthermore, this would be a Labour government. That is the same party that hosted visions of a minimum wage early into its history, yet persisted up to its enactment under Tony Blair. So let us continue leading the way, and have a Labour government that will already be on the right side of tomorrow’s history.
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Jack Falkingham is the LGBT officer for Young Labour. He tweets @jackfalkingham
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