Withdraw Brian Souter's Knighthood

In the recent Queen's birthday honours list it was announced Stagecoach co-founder Brian Souter is to be awarded a knighthood.

I could not think of a more unsuitable person to receive such an honour.  Souter personally bank-rolled a referendum in Scotland campaigning to keep the homophobic law Section 28, which stopped the "promotion" of homosexuality in schools.

I urge people to sign the following petition:

We the undersigned are deeply offended that Brian Souter has been awarded a Knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2011.
Mr. Souter ran a campaign of fear and misinformation which was deeply hurtful to the LGBT community in Scotland.
The Keep The Clause Campaign increased hatred towards an already victimised group and saw a corresponding increase in violence against LGBT people.
We believe that it is wrong for such a person to be given such a high honour by Her Majesty The Queen and call on HM Government to withdraw this award.

Click here to sign http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/notosoutersknighthood/

The petition has already attracted over 3800 signatories in two days.

Meet our new minister for equalities

As well as becoming Home Secretary Teresa May has also been awarded the position of Minister for Women and Equality.  Presumably she was given this post as only one of two women in the cabinet, the other being Cheryl Gillan as Welsh secretary.  Every other member of the cabinet is a white male.

A quick look on the public whip site shows that Teresa May is no fan of gay rights, having either voted against or being absent when most gay rights legislation of the last government was tabled.

She voted against:

• Crime and Disorder Bill — Reduce age of consent for homosexual acts to 16 
• Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 
• Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill — Reduction in age at which certain sexual acts are lawful 
• Local Government Bill [Lords] - Prohibition on promotion of homosexuality: bullying 
• Adoption and Children Bill (Programme) — Consideration and Third Reading 
• Adoption and Children Bill — [2nd Allotted Day] — Applications for adoption 
• Adoption and Children Bill — [3rd Allotted Day] — Clause 131 — General interpretation, etc. 
• Adoption and Children Bill — Suitability Of Adopters

I do not have the confidence in her to be a true champion of equality.  This is one post where the Libservatives could have gained a little more credibility by appointing a Lib Dem with a much better voting record than Ms May.

New English Democrat mayor starts his attack on 'Political correctness'

Peter Davies, the newly elected English Democrat mayor of Doncaster has wasted no time in his attack on 'Political correctness'.

BBC News reports that he is threatening to cut funding for Doncaster's pride event. He is quoted as saying:

"My policy on gays and lesbians is very simple.

"I don't think councils should be spending money on them parading through town advertising their sexuality."

I'm sure this is only the start of a campaign of homophobia and racial prejudice.

It is beyond my how this man got elected, and I am ashamed to be from Yorkshire when such individuals gain the majority vote.