Politics

The majority of small businesses owned by lesbian, gay and bisexual entrepreneurs will look to grow in the next twelve months according to Business Link’s latest Business Confidence Index.

The majority (62%) of LGB-owned businesses are targeting growth in the coming year using bold strategies such as entering new markets and increasing their marketing spend. These small businesses are also the most likely to consider focusing on core products and services and delaying capital expenditure as a way of dealing with the recession.

The quarterly Index measures business sentiment of over 3,300 small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) following the third quarter of the year. This unique survey takes into account variations such as industry sector, sub-regional location, business types and business ownership (gender, Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic (BAME), Deaf and disabled).

The Index, which sought the views of LGB business owners in London, also found these entrepreneurs are the most likely to have been affected by the recession. 48% of LGB businesses have been affected compared with 47% of all others. However, this figure is down from 55% in July.

Read more: Gay Owned Businesses Beat Recession

BNP leader Nick Griffin defended the Ku Klux Klan, attacked Muslims and called gay couples "creepy" in a controversial appearance on Question Time last night.

Discussions included the BNPs hijacking of Churchill and RAF images, the panellists’ view of Islam and whether the BNP’s success in the European elections was due to the Government’s immigration policies.

One question related to Jan Moir's hate piece on Stephen Gately's death. On this topic the entire panel agreed. Even Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP disapproved of Jan Moir's article, he said: "I personally believe that in the case of someone like Stephen Gately who's died, the old maxim 'say nothing if not good'. So, I think it was wrong."

Read more: Gay Couples are Creepy says the BNPs Nick Griffin

Openly gay MP Ben Bradshaw does not believe that Nick Griffin should appear on Question Time tonight. He believes that Question Time will not provide Griffin with a rigorous enough challenge. 

The appearance of the British National Party (BNP) leader on the BBC’s flagship political panel programme has divided the Cabinet. Peter Hain, the Welsh Secretary, has lead a campaign to stop the show.

Gordon Brown, who described the British National Party as “racist and bigoted” this morning, refused to weigh into the controversy enveloping the BBC over its decision to allow Mr Griffin on its flagship political programme.

Protesters have begun to gather outside BBC Television Centre. The BBC have commented that they will not be relocating the filming of the show.

Read more: Gay MP against BNP appearance on BBC Question Time

A Muslim journalist who was once described as "homophobic" by gay rights activist Peter Tatchell is now endorsing the campaigner's bid to become an MP.

Adam Yosef, who works with the BBC, has written to Tatchell pledging his support to the parliamentary candidate for Oxford East, England.

In 2005, Yosef was accused by Tatchell and his Outrage! organisation of "unabashed homophobia" and "xenophobia" following an article he wrote in a national newspaper which branded Tatchell an "Islamophobe" and was said to encourage violence against him.

At the time of the incident Tatchell urged entertainment weekly Desi Xpress, for whom Adam worked as a columnist, to remove Yosef from his post. Tatchell also called on the BBC to sack Mr Yosef while the Labour Party's Tribune magazine called on the National Union of Journalists to strip him of his NUJ card.

In an offiical statement from Peter Tatchell's Outrage! organisation, Muslim Affairs spokesperson Aaron Saeed stated Yosef had "abused his journalistic position to attack Tatchell on behalf [of] people he has previously worked for", citing his close affiliation to the Respect Party.

Read more: Muslim "homophobe" backs Gay Rights Activist

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been addressing the Speaker's Conference this morning. In his opening address he explained that Parliment should be made more accessible to LGBT people. 

If 6% of the population is made up of LGBT people, 40 lesbian, gay, bi or trans MPs would be needed to represent the LGBT community in Parliment.

He went to suggest Civil Partnerships could be held in parts of parliament, such as the Westminster Hall chapel, where MPs, peers and their families can get married currently.

The meeting covering MPs who are female, disabled, gay or from ethnic minorities has been made shown on the BBC News channel.