■ Jacqui Smith (left) and Hazel Blears: Two ‘gay-friendly’ politicians with senior positions in Gordon Brown's  Cabinet.

LONDON, June 28, 2007  –  Two ‘gay-friendly’ women MPs have been appointed to top jobs in Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s cabinet.  They are Jacqui Smith and Hazel Blears, who have both held junior ministerial posts.

And Spencer Livermore, the openly gay man who was the chief political advisor at Treasury with Mr. Brown, moves to Number 10 as Director of Political Strategy.

Ms. Smith, MP for Redditch, becomes the first woman at the helm of the Home Office, replacing John Reide, who lost year famously said that the Home Office was “not fit for purpose”.

The former economics teacher at Haybridge High School in Hagley, Birmingham, was, as Minister for Women and Equalities at the Department of Trade and Industry, responsible for the introduction of the Civil Partnership Bill and the early stages of its passage through Parliament on its way to becoming an Act.

She was subsequently appointed as Schools Minister in 2005, her role in the Equalities fields being taken over by Meg Munn.

Following the re-organisation of the Home Office earlier this year, Ms. Smith will have no responsibility for immigration and asylum issues, the biggest concern to the LGBT community.  This area falls in now included in the Justice portfolio, held by former Foreign Minister Jack Straw who enthusiasm for .

But Ms. Smith will be a powerful voice in the Cabinet.

Hazel Blears takes over the Department for Equalities and Local Government which is responsible for equalities.

Ms. Blears, the MP for the Greater Manchester Salford constituency, ran unsuccessfully for the Labour Party deputy leadership earlier this month.  But her widely-publicised and lengthy statement during the campaign on LGBT issues and what still needed to be done by Government, gave many gay men and women considerable encouragement for the future.

She replaces Ruth Kelly, who was seen as “gay-unfriendly” by many because of her connection with the Roman Catholic Church’s Opus Dei group.

Mr. Livermore is a rising star in the Labour Party.  The gay 32-years-old was with Mr. Brown at the Treasury and was one of the influential and ultra-loyal aides to the former Chancellor.

Eighteen months ago, the Observer listed him in their Gays Who Shape Our New Britain feature of 20 names.  He was then ranked eleventh.

“Destined for a pivotal role at Number 10, such as head of the Downing Street policy unit ...,” the Observer correctly reported in December 2005.

The Observer also reported that the working relationship between Mr. Livermore and Mr. Brown “as one of 'complete trust' and Spencer sees all policy documents that cross the Chancellor’s desk”.

SEE ALSO

Prime Minister Gordon Brown: Friend or Foe of Gay Community?  Commentary by Peter Tatchell.  Gordon Brown has missed more gay equality votes in parliament than any other MP.  In 13 out of 14 votes in the House of Commons, Mr Brown has not bothered to turn up and vote.  While I doubt he is homophobic, he has failed to make any serious effort to vote in favour of gay law reform.  (UK Gay News, June 27, 2007)

Conservative Party ‘Riddled With Homophobia’ – Blears.  The Conservative Party is “riddled with homophobia” after a new survey of party activists shows that one third would not attend a Civil Partnership ceremony, even if invited by a friend, Hazel Blears MP, chair of the Labour Party, said this afternoon.  (UK Gay News, June 6, 2007)

Civil Partnerships - The Government Viewpoint, by Jacqui Smith MP, Equality Minister.  Opposite sex couples can gain legal status for their relationship through marriage, but there’s no way to legally recognise a long-term, stable and committed relationship if you happen to be a same-sex couple.  And because same-sex couples find that the law treats their relationships as invisible, they can come up against significant problems in their everyday lives. (UK Gay News, March 31, 2004)

Government Unveils Partnership Proposals for Same-Sex Couples.  Ground-breaking proposals providing legal status for same-sex couples in the United Kingdom were published this morning by Equality Minister Jacqui Smith.  (UK Gay News, March 31, 2004)