Media

New Stonewall Scotland website offers pre-election analysis

The updated Stonewall Scotland website, launched at the start of April, contains a host of new information and literature, including an analysis in the run up to the Scottish elections, of what Scottish politicians are saying about LGBT equality.

In order to help Scotland's many thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens make informed choices when they cast their votes on the 3rd of May, the site now contains an 'election page', which examines the relevant views and values of political parties and individual MSPs. It gives visitors examples of statements by MSPs in media and in the Scottish Parliament; lists voting records for MSPs on relevant bills; and looks at the commitment, or lack thereof, to LGBT equality in the political parties' manifestos.

Out of the eight Scottish political parties that the election page looks at (Conservatives, Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Scottish Nationalist Party, Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party, Scottish Socialist Party, and Solidarity), four made strong or reasonably strong commitments in their manifestos to lesbian and gay equality policies, such as tackling homophobic bullying in schools and the introduction of homophobic hate crime legislation. For a full overview, click on the election banner on the home page, or go to www.stonewallscotland.org.uk/election2007

Calum Irving, Stonewall Scotland Director, said: "The votes of lesbian and gay Scots have been taken for granted for too long. Our election page on the new website allows us to offer an objective overview of where Scottish political parties and MSPs stand on gay equality issues. It's important that lesbian and gay voters know who are looking out for them and where there is political leadership on lesbian and gay equality so that they can make their own mind up on May 3rd."

In addition to the election page, the new website also includes an information bank, covering a range of issues such as hate crime, civil partnership, education, health and equality legislation.