PinkNews.co.uk asked 680 LGBT members of the Labour Party how they intend to vote in the upcoming Labour leadership election together with 236 non-party members who either voted Labour in May or would vote Labour if there was an election tomorrow.

Ed Miliband was the overwhelming choice of LGBT members of the Labour party (or affiliated union) for leader of the party with 42 per cent support. Despite the support from four leading lesbian and gay MPs in an open letter to PinkNews.co.uk last week, David Miliband secured the support of just 31 per cent of LGBT party members. Diane Abbott was ranked third with the support of 16 per cent, Andy Burnham seven per cent and Ed Balls last with four per cent.

However, Diane Abbott was the most popular candidate among non-party members who either voted Labour during the last general election or who would vote Labour if there was a general election held tomorrow. She secured 36 per cent support, just ahead of Ed Miliband who secured 35 per cent. David Miliband was ranked third with 20 per cent, Andy Burnham five per cent and Ed Balls last with four per cent.

The level of support for David Miliband is surprising as previous PinkNews.co.uk polls have consistently found that he was the most popular choice for Labour leader among the LGBT community. Just prior to the general election, 31 per cent of readers said they’d rather have him as party leader than the then prime minister Gordon Brown.

The high levels of support for Ed Miliband is likely to have stemmed from his recent comments on gay marriage, saying that civil partnerships were “not good enough”. In an editorial for PinkNews.co.uk last month, Mr Miliband wrote: “I know that civil partnerships were a major step forward, but I also hear those who want the genuine equality of gay marriage.” He added: “Separate but equal’ is not good enough and PinkNews.co.uk’s own recent poll demonstrated the huge support in the LGBT community for a right to marry. The cruel consequence of the current compromise is trans people forced to divorce their partners before they could be legally recognised in their new gender. I want to see heterosexual and same-sex partnerships put on an equal basis and a Labour Party that I lead will campaign to make gay marriage happen. “

In his column and in subsequent later interviews, Mr Miliband called for an end to the ban on gay men donating blood, an end to LGBT asylum seekers being sent back to countries that persecute LGBT people and for stronger laws against inciting homophobic hatred.

Older brother David struggled through an interview with PinkNews.co.uk , unaware of the judgment (that day) of the Supreme Court that overruled Home Office decisions to deport LGBT asylum seekers to countries where they face persecution. He also failed to back full marriage equality, a position he subsequently changed after every other leadership candidate called for full gay marriage.

Diane Abbott has faced some criticism for telling PinkNews.co.uk she abhors the “horrible homophobic lyrics” in the music of many Jamaican artists but several years ago, she chose a song from one the worst offenders, Buju Banton, for a slot on Desert Island Discs.

Welcoming the result Ed Miliband told PinkNews.co.uk: “This PinkNews poll shows that LGBT members of the Labour Party support real change in this election.

“As leader of the Labour party I will be a tireless campaigner for equality and against prejudice in every part of society. I look forward to working with those in the LGBT community both inside and outside the Labour party to make Britain a fairer, more equal and more decent country.”

The films that were produced by advertising agency Euro RSCG reportedly included one particularly aimed at the gay community. It showed two “good-looking” young men in a sports changing room shower. One says “It feels so right. I am going to tell everyone.” According to the Sunday Times, the other then puts a hand to his friend’s mouth as part of an embrace and replies “I think I am too.” The camera then pans around to reveal the two men’s team-mates looking on “in horror”, a Vote Conservative slogan is then revealed.

The advertisement was to be one of a series linked to “I’ve never voted Tory before” billboard campaigns that were criticised for being rather bland and then mimicked with spoofs across the internet.

Another advertisement that was abandoned began with an Asian teenage boy appearing to be “furtively” looking at pornography, which is then revealed to be Conservative Party literature. His mother expresses horror at the discovery and asks her husband what the neighbours would think.

A third advertisement makes references to teenage pregnancy with a girl confessing to her parents “I am three months Conservative.” Her father blames the girl’s boyfriend for her conversion to the Tory cause.

A Conservative Party insider told the newspaper: “The ads are all very clever and much more imaginative and funnier than anything that they put out during the election campaign.

“They were designed to appeal to voters who would not have thought of backing the Tories in the past. However, the risk with these ads was that they might have alienated more traditional core supporters.”

A spokesman for the party explained why they were never shown: “At any one time there are always various ideas at different stages of development on the table, many of which don’t end up being used.” The cost of the advertisements did not need to be declared to the Electoral Commission because they were never used. The Sunday Times said they cost £100,000 to make, while ConservativeHome claims they cost £300,000 and the Spectator’s Fraser Nelson said the party spent £500,000 on unused advertisements.

The document was unveiled today as the formal deal between prime minister David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg after their parties formed a coalition government.

During the campaign, both leaders promised a range of measures for LGBT people. All three main parties promised action on homophobic bullying, and Mr Cameron promised he would treat historical convictions from when gay sex was illegal as spent.

The deal says the government will help schools deal with homophobic bullying, pressure other countries to support gay rights, push for international recognition of UK civil partnerships, stop deportment of gay asylum seekers at risk of harm, treat gay sex convictions as spent and promote better recording of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes.

However, it does not mention opening up marriage to gay couples. Mr Clegg told PinkNews.co.uk in February he supported changing the law, although the issue did not feature in his party’s manifesto.

A Conservative equality manifesto launched by Theresa May before the election said the party would “consider the case for changing the law to allow civil partnerships to be called and classified as marriage”. Mr Cameron said in an interview following this that he was “not planning” any change but would “look to the future cautiously”.

Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg unveiled the document at the Treasury this morning.

Mr Clegg said “Even if you’ve read 100 party manifestos, you’ve never read a document like this one.

“Not one party’s ideas, not even just two parties’ ideas, but a joint programme for government based on shared ambitions and shared goals.

“Compromises have, of course, been made on both sides, but those compromises have strengthened, not weakened, the final result.”

Mr Cameron said: “The more that we talked, the more that we listened, the more we realised our visions for this country and the values that inspired them are strengthened and enhanced by the act of the two parties coming together.”

The deal also promises to scrap ID cards and the National Identity Register, introduce a Freedom Bill and restore rights to non-violent protest.

On education, it lists plans to allow parents to open schools, attract more science and maths graduates to teaching and encourage more faith schools.

The coalition government also plans to scrap existing welfare to work programme in favour of one scheme, while incapacity benefit claimants will be reassessed.

The LGBT-friendly promises in full:

“We will help schools tackle bullying in schools, especially homophobic bullying.”

“We will use our relationships with other countries to push for unequivocal support for gay rights and for UK civil partnerships to be recognised internationally.

“We will stop the deportation of asylum seekers who have had to leave particular countries because their sexual orientation or gender identification puts them at proven risk of imprisonment, torture or execution.”

“We will change the law so that historical convictions for consensual gay sex with over 16s will be treated as spent and will not show up on criminal records checks.”

“We will promote better recording of hate crimes against disabled, homosexual and transgender people, which are frequently not centrally recorded.”

He was expected to be pushed down the party ranks after making a number of gaffes in the last year, including saying that B&B owners should have the right to bar gay couples.

Mr Grayling’s new role in the Cameron-Clegg coalition government was announced today. He lost out on the home secretary job to Theresa May, who was also appointed equality minister.

He has covered the pensions portfolio before, having been shadow minister for work and pensions, and will work under work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith.

Mr Grayling’s controversial remarks were secretly recorded shortly after a Christian couple hit the national news for barring a gay couple from staying in their B&B.

He was asked for his view at a think-tank meeting in April and, making reference to gay couples, said: “I personally always took the view that. . . if it’s a question of somebody who’s doing a B&B in their own home, that individual should have the right to decide who does and who doesn’t come into their own home.”

He later apologised for the remarks and said he supports gay rights.

Mr Grayling’s position was in jeopardy since the Conservative Party’s autumn conference, where he called the appointment of former army head Sir Richard Dannatt as an advisor to his party “a political gimmick”.

He apparently thought the appointment had been made by the Labour Party and later claimed to have misheard the question. Mr Grayling was also accused of using misleading crime figures earlier this year.

Ms Featherstone, whose appointment was announced this morning, said she was “very disappointed” at the lack of female and ethnic minority representation.

Only four figures in the cabinet are female, and the only ethnic minority politician, Sayeeda Warsi, is an unelected peer.

None are openly gay, although gay Tory MPs Nick Herbert and Alan Duncan have been given junior ministerial positions.

Ms Featherstone told BBC Radio 4′s World at One today: “I am very disappointed.

“I think that is an issue. But if I look at the five Liberal Democrats, including Nick Clegg, who have gone into the cabinet, they are, and this is one of the difficulties, extremely talented, extremely experienced and the heavy hitters in the Liberal Democrats.”

She added that when David Cameron appointed her, she told him: “We must do better.”

Ms Featherstone continued: “When you look at the negotiating teams, they were male and pale.

“So the issue is how do you get women through the ranks of parliament to those positions where they are then in a position to be in the cabinet?”

The former Liberal Democrat equality spokeswoman admitted that her own party had not done as well as the Conservatives in improving its number of female MPs.

She said: “The Conservatives have made great improvements in the number of women coming through in the parliament, sadly the Liberal Democrats have not.

“We did actually have able women in place; winnable seats were covered by 40 per cent women but unfortunately we didn’t have the greatest of nights and we didn’t win those seats.”

Ms Featherstone, who has a good voting record on gay rights, announced her appointment as junior equality minister on her blog before it was declared.

She wrote that she was “optimistic” about securing most of her party’s election equality promises.

She added: “Will I get our whole agenda agreed? Well I might – but there are a few things I can see causing ructions – but I am optimistic about most of it.”

She will be working under equality minister Theresa May, having been the Liberal Democrats’ spokeswoman for equality since 2007.

Ms Featherstone, the MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, was appointed as part of the coalition government and joins a number of Liberal Democrats given cabinet or ministerial positions.

Since being elected in 2005, she has kept a good gay rights voting record and is one of the few MPs to have explicitly championed trans rights.

Ms Featherstone could not be contacted for comment this afternoon but wrote on her blog that the post was a “huge opportunity to change things for the better”.

She wrote: “For two years as shadow equalities spokesperson – through the Equality Bill, through countless speeches to groups , through our conference policy papers on women and youth – it has always been about what Lib Dems would do about equality if we were in government. Blimey – we are!”

Ms Featherstone said she was “optimistic” about securing most of her party’s election equality promises.

She added: “Will I get our whole agenda agreed? Well I might – but there are a few things I can see causing ructions – but I am optimistic about most of it.”

Her new boss, Mrs May, has had her own past voting record scrutinised this week.

She voted for civil partnerships on one occasion but was absent or voted against most gay equality measures. Those she voted against included repealing Section 28 and allowing gay couples the right to adopt together.

On Wednesday, she told Channel 4 News: “Certainly there were some votes I wasn’t present for. But what we intend to do in government is taking forward an agenda on equalities across the whole range of equalities.

“In this particular issue we have some very real commitments, for example in terms of homophobic bullying in schools.”

Mr Duncan missed out on a cabinet role and will instead work under new international development secretary Andrew Mitchell, who shadowed the role in the last parliament.

The department is responsible for promoting development overseas, which includes distributing aid to third-world countries.

Mr Duncan was previously shadow minister for prisons. He was given the role in September, a demotion from shadow leader of the House after he was secretly filmed complaining that MPs had to live on “rations”.

The multi-millionaire MP for Rutland and Melton, was criticised last year for claiming nearly £4,000 for gardening on his expenses. He apologised and paid back the money.

He was the first gay Tory MP to come out voluntarily and was also the first MP to have a civil partnership.

Mr Cameron is expected to finish naming his government team today, as the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition enters its third full day in power.

Mrs May was given the new roles yesterday after being shadow equality minister and said that tackling homophobic bullying would be one of her priorities.

She voted for civil partnerships on one occasion but was absent or voted against most gay equality measures. Those she voted against included repealing Section 28 and allowing gay couples the right to adopt together.

Last night, she told Channel 4 News: “Certainly there were some votes I wasn’t present for. But what we intend to do in government is taking forward an agenda on equalities across the whole range of equalities.”

All the main parties promised action against homophobic bullying in various interviews with the pink press in the lead-up to the election.

Mrs May said: “In this particular issue we have some very real commitments, for example in terms of homophobic bullying in schools.

“Headteachers do need, I think, to be given greater support in identifying that and dealing with that issue.”

Stonewall would not comment on her voting record yesterday but indicated it expected to see all gay equality election promises implemented.

A spokesman said: “Both coalition parties made a number of promises to lesbian and gay voters during the campaign. We look forward to working with Teresa May to see them fulfilled.”

Mr Herbert was shadow environment secretary previously, and before that was shadow minister for police reform.

The appointment to policing minister makes him the most senior out gay politician in the government.

He elected as the MP for Arundel and South Downs in 2005. He was viewed as a rising star in the party after being rapidly promoted to the shadow cabinet.

In January 2009, he entered into a civil partnership with solicitor Jason Eades. The pair have been together since 1999.

Before entering politics, Mr Herbert was the director of Reform, the independent think tank which he co-founded in 2002.

His former shadow cabinet colleague Alan Duncan, who is also gay, has not been given a cabinet or ministerial position yet.

He was made shadow minister of pensions in September, a demotion from shadow leader of the House after he was filmed complaining that MPs had to live on “rations”.

Chris Grayling, the former shadow home secretary who said B&B owners should be able to bar gay couples, has been tipped as pensions minister.

The Liberal Democrats made the right choice in partner no matter how uncomfortable it feels to have a work and pensions secretary (Iain Duncan Smith) who disagreed with equal parental rights for lesbian couples, a Conservative party chairman who once claimed the abolition of section 28 meant children were being “propositioned” for gay relationships (Sayeeda Warsi), or a minister for equality (Theresa May) who has consistently (bar the crucial civil partnership act) voted against gay rights -although she does seem an odd choice. Some might be upset that we have gone from three openly gay cabinet ministers to none.

An alliance with Labour had that party agreed to it would have resulted in an unstable Government and a hasty second general election. Both the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats are broke while the Tories would have relied on Lord Ashcroft’s cash.

The Conservatives would likely have won a small majority in a second election and we’d be soon be living in a country where ‘homosceptics’ or ‘homophobic’ MPs would not be forced to sit as they are now around the cabinet table with MPs like Chris Huhne or Nick Clegg and their excellent voting record. David Cameron would have to rely on the votes of those in the right of his party (not the Liberal Democrats) to pass key legislation which may have have led to deals over LGBT rights, or more likely, LGBT issues would slip down the agenda.

If the Liberal Democrats sat on the side and didn’t join a coalition with either party, David Cameron would still have become prime minister of a minority government and likely called a second general election. The outcome would probably have been the same, a small majority for the Conservatives.

In many ways, the civil partnership with the Liberal Democrats may allow David Cameron to lead the progressive, liberal Government he has repeatedly said he wished to form but has perhaps been held back by some of his own colleagues, the old school MPs he inherited. Mr Cameron can be bolder and truer perhaps to his own beliefs with Mr Clegg than without, perhaps finally legalising full gay marriage, something Nick Clegg told PinkNews.co.uk he was strongly in favour of.

But if Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg really want to lead a progressive, liberal Government they must think carefully about ending the practice of giving a free vote on LGBT equality issues. The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people must be fought and thought about on the same basis as race, sex or disability. There must be an end to the absurdity of being able to vote on conscience. This new Government must at the very least allow those unfortunate MPs with conscientious objections to gay equality to simply abstain but not vote against the rights of millions of law abiding LGBT citizens.

And what of Labour? They have achieved so much for LGBT rights. Some of its changes were triggered by European court rulings but the overall pattern of changes were huge. An equal age of consent, gays serving in the military, civil partnerships, gay adoption, protection from discrimination in the workplace and in the provision of goods and services, gender recognition, lesbian IVF rights and so much more. They leave with a good record and have been good allies to our community.

But it’s not their time, the leadership election that awaits will be a good opportunity to find out how they can further serve our community.

For now, we might be living in the words of Messrs Cameron and Clegg in an era of “new politics”, so should we give them a chance? Let’s test them and see whether together they can advance our rights and fight for LGBT rights across the world. There’s a good chance that together they might.

But do you agree with our analysis? Tell us in the comments section, it’s all up for debate

She is the first Muslim woman to hold such a powerful position.

Baroness Warsi was born in Yorkshire to Pakistani parents. She is a trained solicitor and was appointed shadow minister for community cohesion by David Cameron in 2007.

She has been a controversial figure in the past. In 2005, when she unsuccessfully stood as the Tory candidate for Dewsbury, she issued leaflets which used homophobic language.

Her leaflets claimed children were being “propositioned” for gay relationships.

They said: “Labour has scrapped Section 28, which was introduced by the Conservatives to stop schools promoting alternative sexual lifestyles such as homosexuality to children as young as seven years old.

“Labour reduced the age of consent for homosexuality from 18 to 16, allowing schoolchildren to be propositioned for homosexual relationships.”

Baroness Warsi was criticised by gay rights charity Stonewall who called her “homophobic”. She later said she regretted the language used.

She said in 2007: “I look back at lots of my election leaflets and think, ‘God – why did I phrase it like that? What was I on?’”

Appearing on Question Time with BNP leader Nick Griffin last year, she said that gay people “absolutely have the right” to have civil partnerships.

Mr Miliband, 44, is supported by the Blairite faction of the party and Alan Johnson offered him his support earlier after saying he would not be standing for the role.

He said this afternoon that he hoped the race would be a “genuine, real contest” that would give credit to the party.

Mr Miliband said he intended to stand with a “deep sense of humility” and a “great, great passion” for Labour values.

He said: “I’m standing for the leadership because I believe I can lead Labour to rebuild itself as the great reforming champion of social and economic change in this country. We have achieved a great deal in government, but this is a new era: new dangers, new opportunities, new possibilities.

“No longer the party in government, we must be the party of real change right throughout the country. Deep renewal of our party, deep roots in our country, real engagement with its people.”

He added that he would formally launch his campaign in his South Shields constituency at the beginning of next week.

Gordon Brown resigned as party leader on Monday and resigned as prime minister last night, allowing David Cameron to take over.

Former foreign secretary Mr Miliband has never voted against gay rights and has only been absent for four gay-related votes.

Earlier this month, a poll of nearly 1,000 PinkNews.co.uk readers placed him as the most popular choice to take over from Gordon Brown.

Thirty-one per cent of our sample backed him for the Labour leadership, followed by 14 per cent for Mr Johnson and 11 per cent for Harriet Harman.

Mr Miliband is the only contender yet to declare his bid.

Ms Harman is currently deputy leader of the party and has been appointed caretaker leader in the interim. She was expected to run for the leadership but has ruled herself out of the contest.

Others expected to contest for the leadership are former schools secretary Ed Balls, former health secretary Andy Burnham and Mr Miliband’s brother Ed Miliband, who is seen as an outside contender.

As yet, the cabinet contains only one woman and no out gay ministers. Posts still to be filled include culture secretary, Welsh secretary, Northern Ireland secretary and transport secretary.

However, senior female Tory MP Sayeeda Warsi is among those expected to join the cabinet, while out gay MP Nick Herbert was shadow environment secretary.

To claim power, Mr Cameron had to enter into a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, meaning that many senior Tories who expected to be handed cabinet jobs have been pushed aside in favour of Liberal Democrat politicians.

Under the terms of the coalition, five posts have been given to members of the third party. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg becomes deputy prime minister, and will fill in for Mr Cameron at prime minister’s questions in his absence.

Vince Cable has been named business secretary and David Laws becomes chief secretary to the Treasury. Danny Alexander is expected to become Scottish secretary, while Chris Huhne is tipped to become environment and climate change secretary.

None of the most high-profile gay MPs in the party have been given a cabinet post. While the Tories were in opposition, Nick Herbert was shadow environment secretary and Greg Barker was shadow climate change minister.

Alan Duncan was shadow leader of the House of Commons until last September. He was demoted after he was secretly filmed complaining about MPs’ expenses.

However, the three may still be given ministerial positions. Around 20 government jobs are expected to go to Liberal Democrats.

Theresa May is the only woman in the cabinet. She has been made equalities minister and home secretary, although she has little experience of the latter post. She is only the second woman to be home secretary, after Jacqui Smith.

Chris Grayling was expected to get the post, having been shadow home secretary. However, he was dropped after a string of gaffes, including saying that he thought bed and breakfast owners should be able to bar gay couples.

Today, PinkNews.co.uk published an analysis of Mrs May’s voting record. The research showed that the only recent gay rights measure she voted in favour of was civil partnerships.

Yesterday, PinkNews.co.uk was told by a member of Mr Cameron’s new team that he would be making a new announcement to the gay community shortly. It is understood that the coalition with the Liberal Democrats will encourage the government to be more gay-friendly.

Mr Cameron has given the position of defence secretary to Liam Fox and secretary for work and pensions to Iain Duncan Smith. These roles are being seen as his concession to the Tory right-wing.

Mr Duncan Smith’s Centre for Social Justice recommended last July that some rights of same-sex partners who are not biological parents should be downgraded.

At the winter 2009 Conservative Party Conference, Mr Cameron praised the former Tory leader and said he would be put in charge of mending “broken” society.

George Osborne, who recently promised Peter Tatchell that he and Mr Cameron would “consider” gay marriage, has been made chancellor. Although calls were made to install Vince Cable in the role, Mr Osborne, as a close friend of Mr Cameron’s, was expected to get the job.

William Hague was named as foreign secretary, a post he held in the shadow cabinet for five years. Meanwhile, Andrew Lansley was named health secretary and Ken Clarke was made justice secretary.

Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles was made communities secretary and Michael Gove was named education secretary.

Before the election, gay rights charity Stonewall compiled a database from all MPs’ voting records since 2005. Each MP was given a percentage score and the results for Mr Cameron’s new cabinet can be seen below.

The votes were on lesbian fertility treatment, the Equality Act and incitement to hatred offence on grounds of sexual orientation.

Conservatives:

George Osborne – 64 per cent

William Hague – 29 per cent

David Cameron – 36 per cent

Theresa May – 14 per cent

Iain Duncan Smith – 14 per cent

Andrew Lansley – 36 per cent

Liam Fox – 21 per cent

Ken Clarke – 29 per cent

Eric Pickles – seven per cent

Michael Gove – 50 per cent

Liberal Democrats:

Nick Clegg – 86 per cent

Vince Cable – 71 per cent

David Laws – 79 per cent

Danny Alexander – 79 per cent

Chris Huhne – 86 per cent

Mrs May’s voting record on LGBT rights is mixed.

In 1998 she voted against equalising the age of consent and in 2000, she voted against the repeal of Section 28, legislation that banned the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality by local government and schools.

In 2001 and 2002 she voted against gay couples jointly adopting children.

In 2004, like much of the Conservative front bench, Mrs May did vote in favour of civil partnerships.

But in the same year, Mrs May didn’t attend Parliament for any of the four votes that led to the Gender Recognition Act.

In 2008 she voted in favour of a defeated bill which said that IVF rights should require a male role model- effectively discriminating against lesbian fertility rights.

Stonewall, the lesbian, gay and bisexual lobbying group, declined to comment on Mrs May’s voting record or her suitability as minister for equality.

Instead, a spokesman said: “Both coalition parties made a number of promises to lesbian and gay voters during the campaign. We look forward to working with Teresa May to see them fulfilled.”

But David Henry of gay rights group OutRage! claimed that Mrs May was “the wrong person for the job”.

He told PinkNews.co.uk: “She hasn’t really made a lot of comments on homosexuality in the past, although she is a strong advocate for family.

“She’s always been against gay rights since I can remember. I’m pretty sure she’s opposed almost every gay rights measure.”

Chris Grayling was expected to get the job but he was dumped by David Cameron after a string of gaffes including suggesting that Christian bed and breakfast owners should have the right to ban gay couples.

He failed to get the job despite shadowing the role for almost a year and a half.

Mrs May has been been appointed home secretary and minister for women and equality in the new Conservative/ Liberal Democrat coalition government led by prime minister David Cameron and Nick Clegg deputy prime minister. As equalities minister (a role Mrs May has already shadowed), she will be responsible for issues relating to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered rights).

But PinkNews.co.uk analysis reveals that Mrs May has a poor voting record on LGBT rights, having opposed the equalisation of the age of consent, the repeal of section 28, gay couples jointly adopting and lesbian fertility rights. She did not attend the House of Commons for to vote for the Gender Recognition Act. Full analysis here.

Last month, speaking at an event entitled ‘a Conservative Home Office’ held at the Centre for Policy Studies Chris Grayling said: “I think we need to allow people to have their own consciences,” it was recorded he said. “I personally always took the view that, if you look at the case of should a Christian hotel owner have the right to exclude a gay couple from a hotel, I took the view that if it’s a question of somebody who’s doing a B&B in their own home, that individual should have the right to decide who does and who doesn’t come into their own home.”

Mr Grayling was making reference to Susannne and Mike Wilkinson, who own the Swiss B&B in Berskhire and hit hit the national news for turning away a gay couple who had booked a room.

Mr Grayling subequently apologised but was heavily criticsed by gay rights campaigners and rival politcans. He was considered to be unsuitable for the post of home secretary by new deputy prime minister Nick Clegg,

He is expected to be the most gay-friendly Conservative prime minister in history, although there are still many in his party that are considered by some to be homophobic.

Support from the LGBT community for the Conservatives dropped from 39 percent in 2009 to six percent at the time of the election. The Liberal Democrats enjoyed 57 per cent support.

The new team at Downing Street told PinkNews.co.uk that he will make a new appeal to the gay community once in office and a source indicated that the coalition with the more gay-friendly Liberal Democrats will help.

He went to Buckingham Palace with wife Samantha shortly after Gordon Brown tendered his resignation and spent 20 minutes with the Queen.

Mr Cameron, 43, becomes Britain’s youngest prime minister since the 19th century.

Mr Brown announced his resignation at 7.20pm this evening, wishing the new prime minister well.

In a speech after he returned to Downing Street, Mr Cameron confirmed he would lead a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats.

Any deal must still be put to the Liberal Democrats’ federal executive at a meeting tonight. The deal may include ministerial posts for Liberal Democrats and some commentators believe Nick Clegg may be installed as deputy prime minister.

In the speech, Mr Cameron paid tribute to the outgoing Labour administration, saying it had made Britain “more open at home, more compassionate abroad”.

But he said Britain had “deep and serious” problems, such as the deficit and the political system.

Of the coalition between his party and the Liberal Democrats, he said he and Liberal Democrat leader Mr Clegg wanted to “put aside party differences” and work together for the good of the nation.

He repeated the words “freedom, fairness and responsibility” as Conservative objectives.

In the last year, Mr Cameron’s voting record on gay equality has been closely scrutinised.

In 2002, he voted to restrict marriage to married couples and bar gay couples from adopting children.

A year later, he voted against the repeal of Section 28, which banned the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities.

But in the last few years, he has undergone a striking conversion, giving no fewer than three interviews to the pink press in the run-up to the election.

Mr Cameron says he now believes gay couples should be allowed to adopt, that the blood donation ban on gay men should be lifted and that schools must tackle homophobic bullying.

Earlier this year, he was accused of slipping up over his party’s votes on gay issues.

He was asked in an interview shown on Channel 4 News why he did not force his MPs and MEPs to vote for gay equality measures, rather than allowing free votes.

Mr Cameron appeared to have been caught unaware by the question and stumbled over his answer, prompting interviewer Martin Popplewell to press him until he asked for the interview to be halted.

Furthermore, his party suffered more damage during the election campaign, as four candidates, including two members of his shadow cabinet, made controversial remarks about homosexuality.

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling had to apologise after saying he agreed bed and breakfast owners should be allowed to bar gay couples, while shadow defence minister Julian Lewis claimed that gay sex was more dangerous than serving in the Army.

Mr Cameron sacked Scottish Conservative candidate Phillip Lardner for calling homosexuality “not normal”, but took no action when claims surfaced about unsuccessful candidate Philippa Stroud founded a church that believed gays were possessed by demons.

Writing for PinkNews.co.uk last month, Mr Cameron said he believed “heart and soul in equality” but was aware that many in the gay community remain wary of the party.

He promised our readers that if elected, he would change the law to allow all historical convictions for homosexual sex to be treated as spent.

Mr Brown addressed the media outside Downing Street at 7.20pm with wife Sarah by his side.

He thanked her, his two sons and his staff in his speech.

Mr Brown said: “I wish the next prime minister well as he makes the important choices for the future. Only those who have held the office of prime minister can understand the full weight of its responsibilities and its great capacity for good.

“I have been privileged to learn much about the very best in human nature and a fair amount too about its frailties – including my own.”

He finished his address with “thanks – and goodbye”.

He then left with Sarah for the short drive to Buckingham Palace after allowing his young sons to be photographed for the first time.

Mr Brown tendered his resignation to the Queen, who accepted it.

She is then expected to appoint Conservative Party leader David Cameron as prime minister.

Reports said Mr Brown was expected to stand down as MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath but sources now say he will remain in the position.

Harriet Harman, who until today was the minister for equality has become acting leader of the Labour Party.

Just after he finished speaking, shadow foreign secretary William Hague emerged from talks with Liberal Democrat negotiators.

He would not be drawn on what, if any, agreements had been made and it remains unclear whether a coalition government or a Conservative minority government will be formed.

The two parties began formal talks yesterday after Gordon Brown announced he would stand down as party leader by autumn.

However, sources have told a number of media outlets including the BBC and Sky News that the discussions failed to take off and the Evening Standard has already reported Mr Brown’s resignation as prime minister.

Five days have passed since the general election but the country remains in a political stalemate.

Over the weekend, a coalition between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats seemed almost certain, until Mr Brown’s statement yesterday opened up formal Lab-Lib negotiations.

However, some Labour MPs, ministers and former ministers attacked the plans.

Today, former home secretary David Blunkett questioned whether Labour could trust the Liberal Democrats and claimed the latter were behaving like “every harlot in history.”

John Reid, another former home secretary, said the electorate would punish Labour if it attempted to “cobble something together that was not in the national interest”.

Tory leader David Cameron is expected by some pundits to be inside 10 Downing Street by tomorrow.

Mr King, standing for Mid Dorset and North Poole, lost by only a few hundred votes to Liberal Democrat incumbent Annette Brooke.

Between 60 and 70 ‘Vote Nick King’ and ‘Vote Conservative’ boards outside Tory supporters’ homes were damaged during his campaign.

The boards cost almost £1,000 in total. They were daubed with graffiti, damaged or stolen.

Mr King told the Bournemouth Echo that on several occasions, Labour and Liberal Democrat boards had been placed in his garden.

He added that the perpetrators had taunted him from an anonymous Gmail account.

Mr King said: “You expect it to happen a little bit. But this has been quite orchestrated to the extent that, down a road where there are three or four of our boards and three or four opposition boards, all our boards will be slashed with a knife or have stuff written all over them, while the others are not touched. That suggests something quite deliberate.”

He added: “There has been some homophobic insults – but mostly just rudeness really.”

Mr King did not mention his opponents but said some homeowners, including a widow in her 70s, had been targeted multiple times and people were becoming frightened.

Conservative blogger Iain Dale wrote this morning that he understood the two parties would hold talks and accused the DUP of having homophobic members.

Meanwhile, DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson told the Belfast Telegraph that “senior level” discussions had been held and that his party was not opposed to a Lab-Lib coalition.

The DUP lost its leader Peter Robinson in last week’s general election but retained eight seats.

Labour is currently in talks with the Liberal Democrats about the possibility of forming a coalition. However, the two parties would not have a Commons majority, forcing them to join with other smaller parties.

Mr Robinson is the husband of shamed former MP Iris Robinson, who was accused of hypocrisy after making homophobic statements while embarking on an affair with a 19-year-old.

Mr Dale claimed that the newly elected North Antrim MP, Ian Paisley Jnr has a history of “notorious” homophobia.

In 2007, Mr Paisely said he was “repulsed” by gays and lesbians, while in 2005 he said gay relationships were “immoral, offensive and obnoxious”. He also called civil partnerships “abhorrent” in 2004.

Mr Dale wrote: “Now, of course, the Labour Party can coalesce with whom it wants. But let’s not hear any more rubbish from Denis MacShane, Nick Clegg and others about the supposed ‘homophobic nutters’ in the Movement for Reform in the European Parliament. Because it would be rather hypocritical, wouldn’t it?”

The Conservatives have been attacked for alliances with homophobic Polish politicians in Europe, although some Tory MPs have hit out at the criticism and claimed Labour and the Liberal Democrats also have questionable allies.

Over the weekend, a coalition between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats seemed almost certain.

However, Gordon Brown’s announcement yesterday that he would step down as Labour leader in the autumn opened up formal Lab-Lib negotiations.

Labour is split over the possible Lab-Lib coalition, with some MPs, ministers and former ministers criticising the plans.

Today, former home secretary David Blunkett questioned whether Labour could trust the Liberal Democrats and claimed the latter were behaving like “every harlot in history.”

John Reid, another former home secretary, said the electorate would punish Labour if it attempted to “cobble something together that was not in the national interest”.