Safety Lights Are For Dudes

I don't want to spend any time at all on my local MP, who voted the wrong way every single time, nor on the four Lib Dems who voted the wrong way, nor on those Lib Dems who abstained for whatever reason (some of whom we know are very much in favour of equal marriage but just couldn't make the chamber today, and others of whom are more... suspect). I do want to single out a few MPs, though, not just Lib Dems, who I feel gratitude towards for this getting passed today.

1, Lynne Featherstone - we wouldn't have had the bill at all without Lynne. I am an unashamed fan of hers, and the quiet, efficient way she goes about things, and her unswerving feminism coupled with her unbreakable LGBT ally-ness makes her a big political hero of mine. So thanks, Lynne, for getting the ball rolling on this, and helping to build it to unstoppable momentum.

2, Julian Huppert - has been indefatigable and measured both yesterday and today in making speeches. Was especially impressive today on the trans issues, which sadly did not gain the support of the house. This is something that needs to be pushed again and again until those whose marriages were forced apart by the state can get them back, and Huppmeister J represented today. Thanks Julian.

3, Caroline Lucas - spoke and voted on the right side on LOTS of amendments, and tweeted from the chamber lots to keep people informed. Stayed in there when most of the rest of the MPs had buggered off, and carried on debating and voting all day. Thanks Caroline.

4, Diane Abbott - resisted the urge for party political point-scoring, unlike so many of her colleagues, and just voted the right way, gladly and with grace. Thanks Diane.

5, Greg Mullholland - many people just assumed that Greg would troop through the no lobby with the other... well, I guess you could call them the Usual Suspects. Beith, Pugh, etc. But he actually wrestled with the issues, and came to a conclusion that he felt could be reconciled with his faith and his liberalism. He thought about it, discussed it with various relevant parties, posted his reasoning on his website, and was in every respect an exemplary Liberal MP - thoughtful, evidence-based, and transparent. I have huge amounts of respect for Greg, not just for the conclusion he came to, but the way he came to it, and utterly condemn those who are berating him on twitter for not being perfectly aligned with whatever THEY think is right. Yes, Summerskill, I'm looking at YOU. I remember 2010, and your hypocrisy is breathtaking. Anyway, thanks Greg.

The battle isn't over for equal rights, not by a long way, and there's still a lot of work to do before the T in LGBT+ in particular are not subject to institutionalised discrimination. But today's skirmish in the battle for equality was mostly a big step in the right direction, and I am glad the overall vote went the way it did, with as big a majority as it did. Now it needs to go through the Lords...