I came out in 1997, the first openly lesbian government minister, and remained the only out lesbian in parliament for the next 10 years. In coming out, I received nothing but support from my immediate boss, John Prescott, and the-then Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Even more importantly, I received support from my local Party and the voters in Wallasey, who have returned me to Parliament at six general elections since then, and gave me my largest majority ever in 2017.

I was the first lesbian MP to enter into a civil partnership having served on the Standing Committee which made the Bill law. It is a fantastic privilege to be a Member of Parliament and even more so to be a part of a reforming and progressive government which changes peoples’ lives for the better and makes our society a fairer and more equal one.

When I first entered Parliament in 1992, the UK was still in the grip of the appalling discrimination and prejudice against LGBT people generated by the notorious Section 28. This was put on the statute book by the same Tory government that had unexpectedly won a fourth term in office, and had no intention of softening its divisive and hardline anti-LGBT stance. Following the Labour landslide in 1997, the Government of which I was proud to be a member set about systematically dismantling the discriminatory laws that had made LGBT people second class citizens. We were more successful than even I had hoped as, one by one, those laws were wiped off the statute book. As someone who has campaigned for equality all my life, it was a great satisfaction to be able to be a part of making this history.

Angela Eagle: Don’t get complacent - the fight for LGBT+ rights is far from over