The Queen of England loves to plan ahead. Her highness and her staff are reportedly working on a legally-minded speech scheduled for November. And, in a show of progressive politics, the royal team’s putting gay pressure on Parliament:
A new equality bill seeking to actively promote equality for lesbian, bisexual and gay people will be formally announced in November’s Queen’s speech.
Early next year it will go through parliament and should become law by the summer of 2009.
The bill is intended to be an extension of the current duty on public authorities to actively promote equality into services like fostering, magistrates courts and health clinics, to make their services more accessible to lesbian, bisexual and gay people.
The bill will also tighten exemptions of current non-discrimination laws in areas surrounding religion and employment.
Now, if only they could do something about the UK’s crazy asylum policies.
Eric
As a Brit I totally love the idea of the Queen making the laws but the Queen’s Speech is just when she tells everyone what the government are doing next year. And, can I just say, it’s all very fashionable to knock Labour at the moment, but remember where all this anti-discrimination legislation came from people.
hells kitchen guy
The queen always reads her speech to open parliament. It’s written by her prime minister, although she has input. So it’s not the queen doing it per se – although if she really objected, she could.
CitizenGeek
I wonder would David Cameron’s Conservative party undo all the good done by Labour in terms of gay rights if they got into power?
EdWoody
The Queen is properly referred to as Her Majesty. She’s higher than a Highness.
faghag
Just shows how much you know about British politics.
The queen is only a sovereign in name, she has no real powers.
PS: David Cameron is a potatoe headed professional idiot.
foofyjim
Sometimes it just takes a queen.
queryourself
For years the Royal Family have been known to be totaly pro gay. The old queen mum was surrounded by them. In the 1960s there was a Sunday newspaper campaign to weed out the poofs from the palaces. The Queen M objected, saying that as almost 100% of the footmen were gay, if they went, they’d have to introduce self-service at meal times – and that was something she wasn’t going to consider.
queryourself
There’s also the famous time when the Q M was waiting for her breakfast that was taking a long time to arrive. Slightly irritated, she went down to the staff quarters at Clarence House where the gay staff were in the middle of a great row over something. When they noticed her, the room went quiet.
“There’s one queen here who’s still waiting for her breakfast”
matt123
Almost 100% of the footmen were gay, if they went, they’d have to introduce self-service at meal times – and that was something she wasn’t going to consider.
bisexual,gay,lesbian ### FindBilover.com
Alex
As pointed out it’s HER MAJESTY the Queen – and I take offensive at the Cameron-bashing! Being gay doesn’t always equate with being leftwing