LGBT+ Conservatives is an organisation for LGBT conservatism in the United Kingdom. It is affiliated and is the official LGBT wing of the Conservative Party. The current advocacy group can trace its roots back to the Conservative Group for Homosexual Equality which was later renamed the Tory Campaign for Homosexual Equality. The group was eventually disbanded and the new LGBTory group was formed, changing its name in 2016 to LGBT+ Conservatives. The group campaigns for LGBT rights alongside the main political beliefs and policies of the Conservative Party, which it promotes within the Party, LGBT community, and wider public. Besides this LGBT+ Conservatives campaigns for LGBT candidates, including through its Candidates' Fund and attends Pride events across the country. It also organises events related to LGBT rights including an annual event with Stonewall at Conservative Party Conference. Since its early formation, the organisation has had an impact nationally, within Europe and globally becoming the model and inspiration for LGBTory in Canada.
Activity
LGBT+ Conservatives has been present at social meet ups, meals and drinks and Pride events across the country. LGBT+ Conservatives host many fundraising events across the UK, and Parliamentary receptions in The Palace of Westminster for members of both the House of Lords and House of Commons. LGBT+ Conservatives' officers also represented the organisation at the then-Prime Minister Theresa May's LGBT Downing Street garden reception. After the 2017 general election, the group's then-chair Matthew Green was critical of the Democratic Unionist Party, describing the DUP's record on LGBT issues as "appalling". This followed May's announcement that she intended to form a minority government with the DUP. As a result of the hung Parliament arising from the election, May's Conservatives did not have an overall majority, so were reliant on DUP support to govern. The Conservative-DUP agreement was finalised several weeks later, and lasted until Parliament was dissolved in November 2019. In 2018, the official LGBT+ Conservative account tweeted denouncing the views of Conservative MPDavid Davies on trans people. It later apologised for the tone of the tweet.
Fund
LGBT+ Conservatives group disburse campaign funds in support of LGBT+ candidates.
