Wife of British Prime Minister attends gay pride parade in London

July 4, 2009 Sarah Brown, wife of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown, attended an annual gay pride parade in London on Saturday. Organizers of the event met with Sarah and Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street. The Associated Press reported that five hundred thousand individuals attended the event, which was organized by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups. Sarah was seen in the march holding a pink Union Flag while marching on Regent Street and Oxford Street and through the city's shopping district. Drag queens wearing large blond wigs and Union Flag attire marched behind her.

Prime Minister Brown stated that "massive strides towards equality" had occurred in Britain, such as civil partnerships for homosexual couples. "This Government is committed to standing at your shoulders in the fight for equality and we are guided by one very simple principle when it comes to LGBT rights: you can't legislate love," said Brown. Boris Johnson, mayor of London, addressed march attendants through video, and stated "how proud" he felt to be supportive of the pride parade.

Peter Tatchell, an Australian-born British human rights activist, said that civil partnerships were "a form of sexual apartheid". Tatchell marched during the pride parade carrying a sign that read "Gordon and Sarah can marry, gays can't. End the ban on gay marriage," and said he would request Sarah Brown speak with the Prime Minister regarding permitting homosexual couples to get married in the same manner as their heterosexual counterparts, as opposed to civil partnerships.