Out Lib Dem Stephen Gilbert loses St Austell and Newquay seat

Out gay Liberal Democrat Stephen Gilbert was unsuccessful in a bid to regain the St Austell and Newquay seat in last night’s general election.

Mr Gilbert, who gained the seat in the 2010 general election, came second to Tory Stephen Double.

He gained 12,077 votes, compared to Mr Double’s 20,250.

UKIP candidate David Mathews came third with 8,503 votes.

In September he rebuked a Devon newspaper columnist who claimed gays will cause the collapse of civilisation.

The remarks were made in the South Molton News, by an anonymous columnist known as ‘Grave Turner’.

Mr Gilbert also threw his weight behind efforts to make PSHE statutory last year, and was a strong advocate for same-sex marriage.