TORIES HIT BACK OVER ‘ANTI-GAY’ ALLEGATION

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw, who is gay, claimed that “a deep strain of homophobia still exists on the Conservative benches” and urged voters to examine the Tories’ record on gay rights.

Foreign Office minister Chris Bryant, who is also gay, warned: “If gays vote Tory they will rue the day very soon.”

But Alan Duncan, the first openly gay Conservative MP, accused them of trying to stir up “hatred and division”.

The row was sparked by a survey by gay networking society Jake. It found that 38 per cent of members planned to vote Tory at the next election with Labour in third on 20 per cent, behind the Lib Dems.

Mr Duncan said: “Bradshaw and Bryant are simply trying to stir up hatred and division from the last century and it’s unwarranted and unworthy.”

Ben Summerskill, chief executive of the gay rights campaign group Stonewall, said it was “legitimate” to point to the Tory voting record on certain issues.