I’m proud to be Plymouth’s first out MP and since I was elected in 2017 I’ve been campaigning for equality.
One of the proudest things I’ve worked on – alongside some brilliant campaigners, veterans and Parliamentary colleagues – has been justice for LGBT veterans who were treated so badly just because of who they are.
Last week the King unveiled a memorial to LGBT veterans in the National Memorial Arboretum.
With the Etherton Review being implemented by this government and the fund to provide payments to LGBT veterans increased by 50% by the government we are making progress in providing some of the justice LGBT veterans deserve.
I know from speaking to LGBT veterans in Plymouth how much this makes a difference. Equality matters and as we move towards warfighting readiness who you love, your background, your faith or gender should not matter. All that matters in the modern military is your ability to do the job and to have the back of the person next to you. All our services have been recognised for their work on LGBT inclusion. That’s huge progress but I know we still have more work to do.
I have written for Attitude about the progress we are making. Have a read. https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/luke-pollard-lgbt-armed-forces-memorial-502981/