LANCASTER MP Hilton Dawson "fully supported" a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered university student vigil in the city this week.

The students held a candlelit vigil at the town hall to protest against Clause 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act which prohibits the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

Mr Dawson told the students he sent them his full support. He added: "I thought that Clause 28 was mean, spiteful and discriminatory piece of legislation.

"Through my work with young people in this city I'm aware of how difficult Clause 28 has made it to provide proper support for young people who are concerned about their sexuality, and worst of all I think it put some young people at risk at a time in their lives when they were exceptionally vulnerable and needed help." A spokesman for Lancaster gay society 'uniQ' commented: "We know that those opposed to homosexuality, including right-wing Christian groups are actively looking to use the clause as a test case."

MPs are to have a free vote in the House of Commons on whether to abolish the clause or not. The Labour party were pledged to abolish the clause in their manifesto.

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