Why do gay lefties hate Tories but ignore Corbyn’s ugly record?

Gay lefties have hated gay Tories ever since learning of their existence. The concept baffles them, like pro-life women or alcohol-free wine. Those with long memories are aware of the Conservative Party’s ugly record on gay equality. This is the party of Section 28, of differential consent laws, of fretting about children ‘being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay’. But gay Tories, having largely rehabilitated their party and with many of the major gay rights battles settled favourably, hoped the rainbow flag might finally have space for a stripe of blue. 

At London Pride over the weekend, it was clear this is a forlorn hope, for the LGBT+ Conservative contingent found themselves booed while the playing of a video message of support from the Prime Minister attracted jeers. Gay Tories felt ill-treated at what they expected to be an inclusive and tolerant event. Cue much prating that Pride is inherently political — by ‘political’, such people always mean ‘left-wing’ — and that Tory supporters should expect to be alienated for everything from their party’s past, to its deal with the DUP, and government weapons sales to Saudi Arabia.