partnership rights for gay couples. These are proposals that the Conservatives made way back in March last year.'

James Davenport went on to say, 'Tony Blair is the pinocchio of politics.

'He promised a "new Britain free from discrimination" - yet Section 28 remains in its original form.

'He promised to be "tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime" - yet we've seen a massive increase in hate crimes against gay people.

'And he claimed there were "24 hours to save the NHS" - yet HIV rates are spiralling out of control.

'These are cynical deceptions which have a terrible impact on the daily lives of gay people. Up and down the country, gay people suffer discrimination, they live under the fear of violent crime, and the whole community continues to live under the shadow of HIV.

'All this is the result of Labour's failure to deliver.

'They made a mess of abolishing Section 28 - the confusion means that teachers and councils cannot do their job.

'They have not made hate crime a priority. Police forces try their best with local initiatives, but always held back by Labour's failure on crime.

'And their sexual health strategy treats HIV like any minor infection. Clinics everywhere are experiencing massive increases in patient numbers with no corresponding change in resources.'

Condemning Tony Blair's 'alienation from the truth', James Davenport went on to say that 'nobody believes a word he says anymore'. Where Labour offered 'nothing more than empty promises, Conservatives want a fair deal for the gay community'.