Speaking at the TUC's annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) conference in London yesterday Frances O'Grady, the TUC’s deputy general secretary, said: 'Much has been achieved over the past decade but some hugely difficult challenges remain for LGBT people in Britain and across the world.
"Thankfully the new coalition Government is not hostile to LGBT people in the way the 1980s Tory Government was - and we warmly welcome the public commitment the Prime Minister made two weeks ago to tackle some of the outstanding issues on the LGBT equality agenda. In the light of our continuing work in education, we particularly welcome [the Government’s] commitment to combat homophobic bullying in schools and colleges.
"While we may have made real legal advances in the UK, we have yet to see a parallel shift in social attitudes. If the biggest party in our Parliament is prepared to form an alliance with Europe's far right fringe, then what kind of message does that send out to the British people?
"Britain may be a more diverse, more tolerant place than a generation ago, but discrimination, prejudice and hate continue to disfigure the lives of LGBT people. As with racism and sexism, the public sector must take the lead in challenging prejudice and hate towards LGBT people. If the new duty fails to deliver, then we must put pressure on both Government and employers to raise their game.
"LGBT people worldwide need our support and our solidarity and it's our responsibility, our duty, to respond accordingly - to lead from the front and to show our movement is a champion of all working people, regardless of creed, colour or sexuality.
Other speakers at the conference attended by several hundred LGBT union members included TUC president Dougie Rooney, Lynne Featherstone MP, journalist Johann Hari and chair of the TUC LGBT Committee Maria Exall.
The TUC is also taking part in the London Pride parade which sets off at 1pm on Saturday from Baker Street and heads along Oxford Street and Regent Street, ending up in Trafalgar Square for a rally at 3pm at which TUC policy officer Peter Purton will speak.