Margot James celebrates first Pride as MP

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Margot James, recently elected Conservative MP for Stourbridge, said she had been coming to Pride since 1980. This is her first Pride as an MP.

Ms James, who is the Conservative party’s first openly lesbian MP told PinkNews.co.uk: “It’s so accepting, welcoming and enthusiastic. People used to look at you like you were a freak. Now it’s like a carnival”.

On the subject of Boris Johnson’s declaration of support for gay marriage, Ms James said: “I gather it is something the government is looking at. The most important thing for me was having equality in law.”

Ms James, who is also Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, divides her time between South Kensington and her constituency of Oldswinford and lives with her partner Jay Hunt, presenter of the BBC TV programme Would Like to Meet.

She was also ranked in the top 50 persons of the Independent’s 2009 “Pink List”, which lists the most influential gay men and women in the UK.