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“My sexuality has nothing to do with my ability to do the job”
In 1975, the Daily Mail “outed” Labour's Maureen Colquhoun – making her the first openly lesbian MP in British political history
But her sexuality wasn’t accepted easily..
A thread following her death this week
In 1975, the Daily Mail “outed” Labour's Maureen Colquhoun – making her the first openly lesbian MP in British political history
But her sexuality wasn’t accepted easily..
A thread following her death this week
Colquhoun was born on 12 August 1928 and joined the Labour Party aged 18.
She studied Economics at the LSE before contesting Tonbridge at the 1970 general election.
She served as a councillor in Shoreham, West Sussex, from 1971 to 1974.
She studied Economics at the LSE before contesting Tonbridge at the 1970 general election.
She served as a councillor in Shoreham, West Sussex, from 1971 to 1974.
In 1971, she was profiled as a future MP and nicknamed “Maureen the Mouth” by the Daily Mail
She talked of her hopes for entering Westminster
“I’m absolutely longing to go to Westminster. There’s so much mythology about the place that people are scared of it”
She talked of her hopes for entering Westminster
“I’m absolutely longing to go to Westminster. There’s so much mythology about the place that people are scared of it”
“I don’t believe in shutting up, sitting down and holding up my hand”
Colquhoun talked of a generational shift in women’s rights
“I think women of my age have had to depend of their husbands to liberate them. Young girls now are different, and I’m glad”
Colquhoun talked of a generational shift in women’s rights
“I think women of my age have had to depend of their husbands to liberate them. Young girls now are different, and I’m glad”
In 1977 she told @pollytoynbee that she was drawn into politics after experiencing the public sector for her son - who was deaf:
“I was so shocked by how difficult it was to deal with the bureaucracy in getting things for him”
“I was so shocked by how difficult it was to deal with the bureaucracy in getting things for him”
Colquhoun was selected to be the Labour electoral candidate for Northampton North for the Feb 1974 election and won the seat. She held on to it in October.
On her first day in the Commons, her friend Arthur Blenkinsop, Labour MP for South Shields, joked she should do something about the food in the canteen
"You deal with the bloody food” she replied ‘“I’m going to be Chancellor of the Exchequer.”
"You deal with the bloody food” she replied ‘“I’m going to be Chancellor of the Exchequer.”
However she was dismayed at the Commons culture
“I have sat through every single debate on economics in the house but I never get called. I get called to speak on womany things, social questions, education”
“I have sat through every single debate on economics in the house but I never get called. I get called to speak on womany things, social questions, education”
In June 1974 – she called on her fellow women MPs to back her bid to make the victims of rape anonymous:
“a lot more women would probably come forward to report rape if they knew their names would be kept private”
“a lot more women would probably come forward to report rape if they knew their names would be kept private”
It was in May 1975 that Colquhoun ended her relationship with her husband Keith and began a relationship with Babs Todd, a gay rights campaigner.
Public speculation began in February 1976, she asked MPs to refer to her as Ms in the House – causing a media stir
“It is time we took the lead to get rid of the outdated and ridiculous assumption that if we marry we should be an appendage of our husbands”
“It is time we took the lead to get rid of the outdated and ridiculous assumption that if we marry we should be an appendage of our husbands”
In April 1976 Nigel Dempster’s diary in the Daily Mail reported that Colquhoun had moved out of her family home and had moved in with Todd.
Dempster had come across an invitation to a housewarming party which featured “two women embracing”
Dempster had come across an invitation to a housewarming party which featured “two women embracing”
Colquhoun subsequently made a complaint to the Press Council about a breach of privacy.
The Mail argued that it was a matter of public interest because she held “very strong views” and was not a quite backbencher.
The Mail argued that it was a matter of public interest because she held “very strong views” and was not a quite backbencher.
The Press Council took the view that her participation in the feminist movement meant “the breakdown of her marriage was a matter the public were entitled to know about”
Colquhoun declared this to be contrary to the Sex Discrimination Act
Colquhoun declared this to be contrary to the Sex Discrimination Act
The Daily Mirror was critical of her decision not to be open about her sexuality with her constituents
“MPs whose sex life was not normal have always concealed the fact…”
The Mirror went on to argue that had she been open about it “it is unlikely it would have adopted her”
“MPs whose sex life was not normal have always concealed the fact…”
The Mirror went on to argue that had she been open about it “it is unlikely it would have adopted her”
The Mirror concluded:
“The day may come – we hope it does – when a man’s or woman’s sexual preferences within the law will be of as little concern to others as the colour of a tie or a skirt. But it hasn’t come yet”
“The day may come – we hope it does – when a man’s or woman’s sexual preferences within the law will be of as little concern to others as the colour of a tie or a skirt. But it hasn’t come yet”
The Spectator agreed the public had a right to know because “a speech in favour of women’s liberation has quite different validity if one knows it is delivered by a practising lesbian”
Dempster then used his column to harass her - joking that she no longer returned his calls
Dempster then used his column to harass her - joking that she no longer returned his calls
Later, Colquhoun caused controversy when she defended Enoch Powell over race tensions:
“The real bogeymen are in the Labour Party, who use soft words and put no money into solving the problems of poor blacks and poor whites in the inner cities.
“The real bogeymen are in the Labour Party, who use soft words and put no money into solving the problems of poor blacks and poor whites in the inner cities.
Her CLP began proceedings to deselect her.
However, once the comments over Powell had been cleared up – the CLP withdrew its complaint.
However, once the comments over Powell had been cleared up – the CLP withdrew its complaint.
A second move came after she was accused of not spending enough time in the constituency and generally bringing bad publicity
Others felt they had been conned - she had been selected “because of her family image, married to a national newspaper journalist with three children”
Others felt they had been conned - she had been selected “because of her family image, married to a national newspaper journalist with three children”
Members of the Labour Party in Northampton claimed that the party would lose the seat if they allowed Colquhoun to fight it.
“Local feeling is that she had the confidence of everyone and it is now a marginal seat. She will not win it”
“Local feeling is that she had the confidence of everyone and it is now a marginal seat. She will not win it”
@pollytoynbee – writing in the Guardian – concluded:
“I find it impossible to believe that they would have removed Maureen Colquhoun had she still been quietly married”
“I find it impossible to believe that they would have removed Maureen Colquhoun had she still been quietly married”
In September 1977, her CLP voted 23-18 for a motion that she should retire at the next election.
After a three hour meeting she claimed that “pathetic charges” had been brought about against her
After a three hour meeting she claimed that “pathetic charges” had been brought about against her
Soon after the vote, she declared:
“I am gay and proud of it. I am glad that in my private life I have love and care for someone”
“I am gay and proud of it. I am glad that in my private life I have love and care for someone”
Ironically, after she had advocated deselection in the party - she said she was now going to appeal to the 95% of people in the constituency who actually supported her to remain as the Labour candidate.
There were also support from people in the feminist movement – the Maureen Colquhoun Action Committee campaigned to overturn the decision.
Following an appeal to the party's National Executive Committee, which found she had clearly been removed on the grounds of her sexuality, she was reinstated as Labour's candidate.
But she refused to back away from her comments on race
“I do blame the Labour Government for the rise of the National Front”.
As a result, she felt she received a lack of support from her colleagues in the party
“I do blame the Labour Government for the rise of the National Front”.
As a result, she felt she received a lack of support from her colleagues in the party
“The Labour Party would have liked me to fight it all like a Tory – fight it quietly, stiff upper lip”
She claimed “I sense that they are all ashamed of me all of a sudden. I don’t know why. I do feel quite let down by my friends”
She claimed “I sense that they are all ashamed of me all of a sudden. I don’t know why. I do feel quite let down by my friends”
She then argued that the party had been infiltrated by the middle class
“My style is direct. I have not changed. What has changed is the type of party – lecturers, teachers, doctors, came into it – and they call me middle class!”
“My style is direct. I have not changed. What has changed is the type of party – lecturers, teachers, doctors, came into it – and they call me middle class!”
Colquhoun rejected any notion that she should have to declare sexuality. “If homosexuals have to state their sexuality, then others ought to consider saying “I left my wife” or “I am spending a weekend with my girlfriend” or “I am living in a London flat with my girlfriend”.
She did admit that “being a self-confessed lesbian has ruined my political career”
She told Gay News that
“It is terribly important for all gay people not to let other people tell them that they do not have the ability to do a job of work.
There is nothing about being gay that makes you incapable of doing a job”
“It is terribly important for all gay people not to let other people tell them that they do not have the ability to do a job of work.
There is nothing about being gay that makes you incapable of doing a job”
But the damage had been done, and at the 1979 general election she was decisively beaten by the Conservative challenger.
When she lost her seat the Daily Mail reported that the “self-confessed lesbian” Colquhoun had already signed on the dole in Hackney and was expecting her first payment in the next few weeks.
And when the Mail came to review the end of the 1970s they asked the question of whether homosexuals were actually gay:
“The fact is that there is an eternal human-nature gap between what people agree to accept and their everyday behaviour and reactions to minorities”
“The fact is that there is an eternal human-nature gap between what people agree to accept and their everyday behaviour and reactions to minorities”
A few years later, In 1981, she again came back in the public eye following the trial of the Yorkshire Ripper. She attacked Sir Michael Havers comments as “an incitement to kill prostitutes”
This was after he opened the trial on the saying:
“Some were prostitutes, but perhaps the saddest part of this case is that some were not. The last six attacks were on totally respectable women”
“Some were prostitutes, but perhaps the saddest part of this case is that some were not. The last six attacks were on totally respectable women”
Colquhoun argued that this attitude had “allowed him to carry on killing women for five years”
Her old foe Nigel Dempster took another chance to rip into her.
In a diary entry “Whore Sense” he reported that she had joined “The English Collective of Prostitutes – not that she is one herself”
END
In a diary entry “Whore Sense” he reported that she had joined “The English Collective of Prostitutes – not that she is one herself”
END
