Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes has hit out at Britain’s “callous” and “sensationalist” media as he spoke at the launch of new gay magazine Pink News.
Pink News hopes to build on the success of established website pinknews.co.uk by launching as a monthly insert in Brighton-based 3Sixty with ambitions to become a weekly stand-alone title.
Hughes, whose Liberal Democrat party leadership challenge was scuppered after The Sun “outed” him as bisexual, said: “I welcome another serious publication for and about gay and lesbian people and issues that matter to them.”
He added: “Since the European Convention on Human Rights was written, the UK has come a long way in giving equal rights to gay people and lesbians. It is a real cause for celebration that civil partnerships are now nationally available and that the Equality Act is at last in place. There is huge cause for celebration across the country in general and in London in particular….
"Until our country moves from sensationalist press to a responsible press and from callous media to careful, not solemn, but careful media we also still have work to do.”
Pink News editor Benjamin Cohen said: “PinkNews online was designed to be instantly different from all other LGBT media outlets, shunning sex and entertainment to focus on politics, business and the law.
“Reflecting if you will the fact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues affect all aspects of British life, not just what people engage in within the privacy of their own homes or on the dance floor of their local gay club.”
Also attending the magazine launch at the Law Society were Conservative Party chairman Francis Maude and Labour MP Meg Hillier.
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