David Mundell comes out as first openly gay Tory minister

Mr Mundell becomes the first openly homosexual Conservative cabinet minister, and his announcement brings the number of out gay MPs in parliament to 33, with 13 each on the Labour and Tory benches.

The Scottish Secretary said taking the decision had been harder than standing for election, speaking in the Commons or being grilled by journalists on television.

The leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, Ruth Davidson, who is also gay, said Mr Mundell had her “wholehearted support, as well as the support of the wider Scottish Conservative family”.

‘So easy and so hard’

Mr Mundell’s statement said: “New Year, new start! I have already set out my political priorities for the year and now I am setting out my personal one.

“Having taken one of the most important decisions of my life and resolved to come out publicly as gay in 2016, I just want to get on with it, and now, just like that, I have said it. How can it be both so easy and so hard to say a few short words?

“In the end, it took just a couple of taps on a keyboard, yet at some points, in my mind, it was going to be harder than standing for election, speaking in the House of Commons or being cross-examined on television.

“I still cannot fully rationalise such feelings, but I know they are not uncommon, particularly in men of my age. Of course, everybody who gets to this point, has had their own journey.

“I have certainly been on mine – conflicting emotions, of doubts and fears, but ultimately positive and uplifting, with an unstoppable direction of travel. Over time, I came to understand that, for me, the only way to be truly happy on a personal level is to acknowledge in public as well as in private, who I am.

Gender and sexuality should make no difference whether you are a Cabinet Minister or in any other walk of life and I hope that I can, in my own way, reinforce that message. David Mundell

“I so admire the many people, young and old, who are doing this every day, uncertain of the reaction. I have been very fortunate and couldn’t have had more love and support from my family and friends. However, making this public is something I have had to do myself. I don’t know what the wider reaction will be, but I know it’s the right thing for me to do.

“Other than the intensely personal and positive difference it makes to me, and the way I can live my life, my hope is that my coming out doesn’t change anything else about how I go about my work or how people treat me.

“Gender and sexuality should make no difference whether you are a Cabinet Minister or in any other walk of life and I hope that I can, in my own way, reinforce that message.”

British record

In May 2015 Professor Andrew Reynolds, director at the LGBT Representation and Rights Research Initiative at the University of North Carolina, said the UK parliament had more lesbian, gay and bisexual MPs than any other legislature in the world.

He found that gay Tory candidates performed considerably better than their straight colleagues in the generally election, with 72 per cent increasing their share of the vote more than the national trend.

“I know that David didn’t make today’s statement lightly, but approached it in his typically thoughtful and positive manner,” she Tweeted.

A senior Downing Street source said David Cameron had been informed in the past few days of Mr Mundell’s decision to issue a statement.

Asked if the Prime Minister offered his warm support to the Scotland Secretary, the source said: “Of course, absolutely.”

He added: “I’m not going to get into their private conversation, and it’s obviously a very personal statement, but the PM is very pleased and delighted that he is in a position to take this step, and it’s very encouraging to see.”

Labour’s Chris Smith, now Baron Smith of Finsbury, was the first openly gay cabinet minister.