A poll carried out by gay media site pinkpaper.com indicates that Liberals leader Nick Clegg has secured the gay vote for the forthcoming general election.
Currently enjoying an upsurge in popularity following the first UK televised political debate, Clegg is the most trusted candidate for Prime Minister according to the gay poll.
Seventy seven percent of respondents indicated that Clegg is the party leader they most trust to protect gay rights.
Labour leader Gordon Brown managed only a meager 18% with David Cameron limping in with just 5% in the poll.
Earlier this year Clegg appeared on the cover of gay glossy Attitude impressing the publication with The Liberals’ promise to support gay equality issues.
Each of the main party heads were grilled by the magazine on their commitment to furthering gay rights with the Liberals’ chief stealing the show.
The youngest of the party leaders Clegg has lead the Liberal Democrats since 2008 following a career in journalism, aid work and as a member of the European parliament.
The party itself has been a staunch supporter of gay rights for many years – a tradition Clegg is keen to uphold.
On the issue of gay marriage verses Civil Partnership (gays are currently unable to marry) he said: “I don’t understand the objections to this.
“There’s one specific issue of substance here – I think it’s about pension rights which you don’t enjoy in a partnership, but you do under marriage. That needs to be dealt with whatever you call it. In terms of the language, I don’t like the idea that you’re reserving different language for a partnership of love and lifelong unity between gay people.”
Clegg also pledges to tackle homophobia within the education system by making it a legal requirement for all schools, regardless of religious persuasion, to reference homosexuality as something normal and harmless.
An end to the ban on gay men giving blood is also included in the Liberals manifesto.
The general election takes place on May 6th.
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