Mr Borrow, MP for South Ribble in Lancashire, has lived openly in Preston with his partner John, who is in the entertainment business, for six years.

He said: "I have always been quite open it when I have been asked and have never made a secret of the fact that I am gay."

The 45-year-old won his seat by defeating former Northern Ireland minister Robert Atkins by more than 5,000 votes in the General Election.

He said he had not declared himself before the election because he was selected late as a candidate.

'Never an issue'

Mr Borrow, a former leader of Preston Borough Council, said fellow MPs had been "quite supportive" over what he was doing.

He said when he left university he decided it would be difficult for someone who was openly gay to be a politician and had concentrated on working behind the scenes for the Labour Party.

Mr Borrow said he had not been prepared to lead a "double life".

He said: "It has never been an issue in the local elections or the two general elections that I have fought."