TUC LGBT Conference

The TUC LGBT Conference is the largest gathering of LGBT activists in the country

The TUC LGBT conference was held at Congress House on the 2nd and 3rd July 2009.

Community - standing against Homophobia

Michael Laffan, Community member called for greater action on Homophobic Hate Crime. He played tribute to Jeff Akers the Community member who was murdered in 2008 for being gay and called for greater justice for those attacked by vile homophobes.

Michael Laffan, who has been elected to the TUC LGBT Committee at this year's conference said:

"Jeff was a colleague of mine, he is sadly missed and his legacy should be a on-going campaign by the united union movement to seek justice, campaign for equality where we win hearts and minds. We will never forget him and not let his murder go unnoticed or unchallenged.

"The systemic and embedded homophobia and transphobia in our society must be challenged and routed out of modern Britain."

In a speech to the 12th annual TUC LGBT conference yesterday (Thursday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said

"The ugly scar of homophobia still continues to disfigure sections of our society...most disturbingly of all, the violent hate crimes that are still being perpetrated against LGBT people - and gay men in particular.

"People like Jeff Akers from Surrey, a member of Community. Last February he was subjected to an unprovoked and brutal attack by a violent homophobe. He was stabbed in the back with a carving knife with such force that it severed one of his ribs and punctured a lung. After staggering around looking for help, Jeff was taken to hospital. Doctors fought to save him, but he died later.

"Attacks like these are a scar on the conscience of modern Britain."