Letter: Equal rights in the forces

Sir: Mark Lawson's honest, piercing analysis of Tory opposition to gay soldiers is to be welcomed ("Who's afraid of a gay soldier?, 25 April). In a modern democracy there should be no discrimination on the grounds of sexuality. Many voices now clamour for individual civic responsibility. In return, the state must ensure all its citizens have equal rights. This includes the right to serve in the armed forces, irrespective of sexual orientation.

No party must shirk from enacting the appropriate law, which would send an unequivocal message to the British people of tolerance, of a belief in equal citizenship and opposition to prejudice and bigotry.

Yours sincerely,

CAROLE TONGUE, MEP; MEL READ, MEP; HUGH KERR, MEP; PHILIPPE DE COENE, MEP; RENZO IMBENI, MEP; GLENYS KINNOCK, MEP; STEPHEN HUGHES, MEP; ARLENE MCCARTHY, MEP; DAGMAR ROTH-BEHRENDT, MEP; DANIEL COHN-BENDIT, MEP; GLYN FORD, MEP; CHRISTINE CRAWLEY, MEP; MICHAEL MCGOWAN, MEP; SIMON MURPHY, MEP; SHAUN SPIERS, MEP

European Parliament

Brussels

26 April