List of the first openly LGBT holders of political offices in the United Kingdom

See also: List of the first LGBT holders of political offices

The following is a list of the first openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender individuals to serve in selected political offices in the United Kingdom.

Party leaderships

• 2008, First out male Leader of a political party in Scotland^[1]
  • Patrick Harvie, Scottish Greens, MSP 2003–present
• 2011, First out female Leader of a political party in Scotland^[2]
  • Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservatives, MSP 2011–2019
• 2018, First out male leader of a political party in Wales^[3]
  • Adam Price, Plaid Cymru, AM/MS 2016–present
• 2020, First black, bisexual leader of a political party in the United Kingdom^[4]
  • Mandu Reid, Women's Equality Party, since 2020

UK Cabinet

• 1997, First male Cabinet minister to be out before being appointed^[5]
  • Chris Smith, Labour, MP 1983–2005
• 2016, First male Cabinet minister to come out in office^[6]
  • David Mundell, Conservative, MP 2005–present
• 2016, First female Cabinet minister to come out in office^[7]
  • Justine Greening, Conservative, MP 2005–2019

British Parliament

House of Commons

• 1597, First known LGBTQ+ Member of Parliament^[8]
  • Anthony Bacon, Independent, elected as MP for Wallingford in 1593
• 1976, First outed (female) MP^[9]
  • Maureen Colquhoun, Labour, MP 1974–1979
• 1984, First MP to come out in office^[10]
  • Chris Smith, Labour, MP 1983–2005
• May 1997, First MPs to be out before being elected
  • Stephen Twigg, Labour, MP 1997–2005, 2010–2019^[11]
  • Ben Bradshaw, Labour, MP 1997–present^[12]
• Sep 1997, First female MP to come out in office^[13]
  • Angela Eagle, Labour, MP 1992–Present
• June 2001, First out Plaid Cymru MP^[3]
  • Adam Price, Plaid Cymru, MP 2001–2010
• 2002, First Conservative MP to come out^[14]
  • Alan Duncan, Conservative, MP 1992–2019
• Jan 2005, First MP to come out as HIV positive^[5]
  • Chris Smith, Labour, MP 1983–2005
• May 2005, First out Liberal Democrat MP^[15]
  • Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrats, MP 2005–2015
• May 2005, First Conservative MP to be out before being elected^[16]
  • Nick Herbert, Conservative, MP 2005–2019
• Jan 2006, First MP to be outed as bisexual^[17]
  • Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat, MP 1983–2015
• May 2006, First MP to enter into a civil partnership^[18]
  • David Borrow, Labour, MP 1997–2010
• 2008, First female MP to enter into a civil partnership^[19]
  • Angela Eagle, Labour, MP 1992–present
• 2010, First female MP to be out before being elected, and first out Conservative female MP^[20]
  • Margot James, Conservative, MP 2010–2019
• December 2010, First out Deputy Speaker
  • Nigel Evans, First Chairman of Ways and Means 2010–2013, Second Chairman of Ways and Means 2020–present^[21]
• 2013, First MP to voluntarily come out as bisexual^[22]
  • Daniel Kawczynski, Conservative, MP 2005–present
• 2015, First MP to be out as bisexual before being elected; First female MP to be out as bisexual^[23]
  • Cat Smith, Labour, MP 2015–present
• 2020, First MP to come out as pansexual^[24]
  • Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat, MP 2017–present
• 2021, First female Conservative MP to be openly bisexual^[25]
  • Dehenna Davison, Conservative, MP 2019–present
• 2022, First MP to come out as trans^[26]
  • Jamie Wallis, Conservative, MP 2019–present

House of Lords

• First out Peer^[27]
  • Lord Alli, Labour, 1998–present
• First out female Peer^[28]
  • Deborah Stedman-Scott, Baroness Stedman-Scott, Conservative, 2010–present

European Parliament

• Jan 1999, First out UK MEP^[29]
  • Tom Spencer, Conservative, MEP 1979–1984, 1989–1999
• Jun 1999, First UK MEP to be out before office^[30]
  • Michael Cashman, Labour, MEP 1999–2014
• 2013, First openly transgender UK MEP^[31]
  • Nikki Sinclaire, UK Independence Party (later Independent), MEP 2009–2014
• 2019, First gay and black UK MEP^[32]
  • Louis Stedman-Bryce, Brexit Party (later Independent), MEP 2019–2020

Scottish Parliament

• First out MSP^[33]
  • Iain Smith, Scottish Liberal Democrats, MSP 1999–2011
• 2003, First out Female MSP^[34]
  • Margaret Smith, Scottish Liberal Democrats, 1999–2011
• 2003, First out Scottish Green MSP^[35]
  • Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green Party, MSP 2003–present
• 2007, First out SNP MSP
  • Joe FitzPatrick, Scottish National Party, MSP 2007–present
• 2011, First out Scottish Conservative MSP^[2]
  • Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservative Party, MSP 2011–present
• 2016, First out Scottish Labour MSP^[36]
  • Kezia Dugdale, Scottish Labour Party, MSP 2011–present

Scottish Government

• 1999, First out minister^[33]
  • Iain Smith, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Deputy Minister for Parliament
• 2016, First out Cabinet minister^[37]
  • Derek Mackay, Scottish National Party, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution
• 2016, First out female minister^[38]
  • Jeane Freeman, Scottish National Party, Minister for Social Security

Senedd

• First out AM,^[39]
  • Ron Davies, Labour, 1999–2003
• First out cabinet secretary to be appointed
  • Jeremy Miles, Labour, 2017–present^[40]
• First out minister to be appointed
  • Hannah Blythyn, Labour, 2017–present^[40]

Northern Ireland Assembly

• First out MLA^[41]
  • John Blair, Alliance, 2018–present

Police and crime commissioner

• First out PCC^[42]
  • Olly Martins, Labour, 2012–2016

Directly elected mayors

• First out directly elected executive mayor^[43]
  • Mike Wolfe, Mayor4Stoke, 2002–2005
• First out directly elected metropolitan mayor^[44]
  • Paul Dennett, Labour, 2016–present
• First out directly elected London borough mayor^[45]
  • Philip Glanville, Labour, 2016–2023

Municipal offices

England

Bolton

• Horwich Town Council: First open lesbian as mayor (2013–2014) civil partner mayoress: Christine A. Root^[46]

Brighton & Hove City Council

• First out committee chair and group leader Paul Elgood (1999–2012)

Bristol

• First out Trans councillor and first to transition while holding elected public office: Rosalind Mitchell (1997) ^[47]

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

• First trans mayor: Jenny Bailey (2007–2008)^[48]

Camden

• First openly gay Mayor and Mayoress (2010–2011): Jonathan Simpson and Amy Lamé^[49]

Croydon

• First openly gay Mayor, Wayne Trakas-Lawlor with his husband as Consort(2016-2017):^[50][51]

Durham

• First openly gay councillor in the UK and first known openly gay candidate for UK elected office: Sam Green (1972)

Essex – Epping Forest District Council

• Gavin Chambers (2012–present), mayor of the parish council (2012–2013)^[52][53]

Hackney

• First openly gay directly elected mayor: Philip Glanville (2016–present)^[54][55]

Islington

• Mayor: Robert Crossman (1986)^[56]

Kingston upon Hull

• Lord Mayor: Colin Inglis (elected 2011) Council Leader 2003–2005, Police Authority Chair 2000–2005^[57]

Liverpool

• First openly gay Lord Mayor: Gary Millar (2013–2014)^[58]

Manchester

• First openly gay Lord Mayor: Carl Austin-Behan (2016–2017)^[59]

Salford

• First openly gay Mayor: Paul Dennett^[60]

Sheffield

• First openly gay Leader of the Council: Paul Scriven (2008–2011)^[61]

Trafford

• First openly gay leader of the council: Sean Anstee (2014–2018)^[62]

Haslemere, Surrey

• First openly gay deputy mayor: Sahran Abeysundara (elected 2015)^[63]
• First openly gay mayor: Sahran Abeysundara (elected 2016)^[63]

London

Greater London Authority

• First members of the London Assembly: Brian Coleman, Andrew Boff and Richard Barnes – Conservative and Darren Johnson – Green Party (elected 2000)^[64]
• First openly gay deputy mayor: Richard Barnes (appointed 2008)^[65]

Southwark

• First openly gay mayor: Jeff Hook:^[66]

Camden

• First openly gay mayor: Jonathan Simpson (elected 2010)^[67]

Richmond

• Mayor: Marc Cranfield-Adams (2007)^[68]

Wales

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion

• First openly lesbian mayor, with her partner as mayoress: Jaci Taylor (2000–2001), Plaid Cymru.^[69][70]

Rhondda Cynon Taf

• First openly gay cabinet member Layton Percy Jones (Plaid Cymru). Cabinet Member for Social Services 1999–2005^[71]

Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire

• First openly gay mayor, first mayor in a civil partnership: Guy Woodham (2012–2013)^[72][73]
• First openly gay mayor and deputy mayor: William Elliott (mayor) and Colin Sharp (deputy mayor)^[74]

Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent

• First openly bisexual chairman of council, Julian Meek (2012–2013), Plaid Cymru.^[75]

Bangor, Gwynedd

• The world's first non-binary Mayor and Wales' youngest ever Mayor, Owen Hurcum (2021–2022), Independent^[76]

See also

• List of LGBT politicians in the United Kingdom

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