BBC News Online: UK

Sun changes mind over gays

The announcement comes just days after the newspaper questioned whether Britain was being run by what it called a gay mafia.

The paper's editor, David Yelland, said that in future, the paper would not "out" gay people unless it was in the public interest.

He said: "We will continue to be in the vanguard of this debate - and all debates - but we will not invade the privacy of gay people by outing them."

Mr Yelland added: "The Sun is no longer in the business of destroying closet gays' lives by 'exposing' them as homosexuals.

"We hope eventually that all gay people will feel free to come out thus ensuring that charges that there is a 'gay mafia' become irrelevant."

On Monday the paper carried the front page headline "Are we being run by a gay mafia?"

The newspaper asked the question after what it said was the revelation that a fourth member of Prime Minister Tony Blair's Cabinet - Agriculture Minister Nick Brown - was gay.

In its Thursday editorial, the paper said it would only now report "outings" if it thought they were "newsworthy or relevant".

Otherwise, the paper promised it "will not invade the privacy of gay people".

The reason behind this decision, the paper said, was because it recognised that times had changed.

It said: "Our readers are tolerant of private behaviour and find unwarranted intrusion offensive."

The Sun said it hoped its statement would encourage gays to feel more at ease.

Finally the paper asks:" Now, can we please all get on with what REALLY matters in life?"

Parris column dropped

It also emerged on Wednesday night that the Sun had dropped the weekly column written by political commentator Matthew Parris.

Mr Parris said he was telephoned by Mr Yelland on Wednesday afternoon to be told in a "perfectly pleasant" way of the decision to drop his column.

He had the clear impression the move was "not unconnected" to his "outing" last week of a politician on television.

Mr Parris insisted he did not regret his comments: "This kind of thing makes me more and more certain that when I talk about government news blackouts, I'm on to something."

He said of the paper: "I have enjoyed writing for it and I have rather got to like Sun readers, many of whom have written to me. I was enjoying the column and I'm sorry to lose it."

Relevant Stories

Public backs gay MPs (10 Nov 98 | UK Politics)
Brown bids to end 'outing' row (09 Nov 98 | UK Politics)
Gay minister speaks out (08 Nov 98 | UK Politics)
Cabinet rallies around gay minister (08 Nov 98 | UK Politics)

In this section

Next steps for peace
Blairs' surprise over baby
Bowled over by Lord's
Beef row 'compromise' under fire
Hamilton 'would sell mother'
Industry misses new trains target
Quins fightback shocks Cardiff (From Sport)
Vodafone takeover battle heats up (From Business)
IRA ceasefire challenge rejected
Thousands celebrate Asian culture
Christie could get two-year ban (From Sport)
Colleagues remember Compo (From Entertainment)
Mother pleads for baby's return
Toys withdrawn in E.coli health scare
Nurses role set to expand (From Health)
Israeli PM's plane in accident
More lottery cash for grassroots
Pro-lifers plan shock launch
Double killer gets life
Cold 'cure' comes one step closer (From Health)
Straw on trial over jury reform (From UK Politics)
Tatchell calls for rights probe into Mugabe
Ex-spy stays out in the cold
Blair warns Livingstone (From UK Politics)
Smear equipment `misses cancers' (From Health)
Boyzone star gets in Christmas spirit (From Entertainment)
Fake bubbly warning
Murder jury hears dead girl's diary
Germ warfare fiasco revealed (From UK Politics)
Blair babe triggers tabloid frenzy
Tourists shot by mistake
A new look for News Online