DELGA

DELGA is the LGBT organisation of the British Liberal Democrats political party, the full name being Liberal Democrats for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Action.

Delga was founded shortly after the formation of the Liberal Democrats and is a Specified Associated Organisation, which gives it special status within that Party.

The Chair since November 2006 is Jen Yockney, who was re-elected as chair for 2008 and 2009. The honorary president of Delga is Dr Evan Harris MP.

History

When the Liberal Democrats party was formed, it was initially called the Social and Liberal Democrats, sometimes referred to by the shortened version 'Democrats'.

As such when a lesbian & gay organisation for the party was formed, it adopted an abbreviated form of its name "DEmocrats for Lesbian & Gay Action" as DELGA.

The organisation was rapidly given Specified Associated Organisation (SAO) status in the party, meaning it is treated like a constituency Local Party with powers to submit policy to party conference and is formally consulted on policy-making in relevant areas.

In the mid 1990s the remit and full name of the organisation was changed to include bisexual and transgender, and is now Liberal Democrats for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Action. However, the shortened form of the name has been retained in preference to an unpronounceable acronym.

Past Chairs have included Kelvin Meyrick in 2006, Richard Porter in 2005, Alison Wheeler in 2004 and Denys Robinson in 2003. The founding chair was Brian Stone.

Achievements

The organisation rapidly achieved many of its aims and the main party itself increasingly incorporated reference to, and recognition of, LGBT issues in its policy statements.

In 2001 and 2005 the party issued a separate LGBT manifesto, all the elements of which were also in the full party manifesto.

See also

LGBT portal

• List of LGBT-related organizations
• LGBT rights in the United Kingdom
• Equivalent organisations in the other major parties include
  • Conservatives: LGBTory
  • Labour: Labour Campaign for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights

External links

• Delga