Emily Thornberry Criticises Truss Over LGBT+ Rights

Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade Emily Thornberry MP opened up on Liz Truss MP, her Conservative opposite, over failing to promote LGBT+ rights in the various trade deals Truss is securing for Post-Brexit Britain. 

Truss, who also holds position as the Women & Equalities Minister, has often been criticised for either being disinterested in the post, or working against those it should benefit, after reports over the summer that she was planning to make changes to trans surgeries and medical practice. 

Thornberry pointed out that the UK has made no moves to expand the membership of the Equal Rights Coalition, a global network of states that seeks to promote LGBT+ rights, despite the UK being the co-chair of the partnership. Writing for International Human Rights Day, Thornberry lamented that membership of the ERC has remained at 42 states since the UK took over, and particularly pointed at Truss when she said that "[Truss'] contribution to that recruitment effort has been especially disappointing". 

Of the 58 countries that Liz Truss has secured Brexit trade deals with, 47 are not ERC members, and no suggestion has been made that membership was ever raised with these new trade partners. Thornberry said that Truss should have felt a sense of mission to raise this, and to hope to bring new states to the umbrella of inclusion and equality.