A student Tory has said it’s harder to come out as a Tory than as gay

A Kent student Tory said on the radio this morning that it's harder to come out as a Tory than as gay.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today Programme, he said: “A third of our association are gay, and most of them have said that it’s harder to come out to their parents as a conservative than as being gay. "

"It’s almost as if it’s held as being more acceptable."

He also said: “When you come out as a conservative, you’re almost vilified, to an extent."

The member of the Kent University Conservative Association, one three interviewed, was part of a segment on Radio 4's programme that spoke to students and campaigners at Canterbury University.

Luke, Conor, and Reece are three of the 40,000 students in Canterbury, which elected a Labour MP for the first time in June’s election.

Sir Julian Brazier, who was Conservative MP for Canterbury until this year’s election, agreed, saying: “It’s a very fair point, and one we’ve discussed frequently.”

He said: “There is an anti-Conservative culture here. I’ve had students say to me that if they take a particular view, say on Margaret Thatcher, or say on Brexit, in their essays, they’re going to find themselves in difficulties,” before continuing to say that only 8 per cent of lecturers support the Conservatives, while more than two thirds support the Labour Party.

Students have argued that admitting you vote Tory is social suicide, dubbing it the 'Shy Tory' effect.

Rob Young, VP of the NUS disagreed: “I don’t believe coming out as a Conservative should even be a thing. I speak to LGBT students on the ground who had an MP since 1982 who consistently voted against LGBT equality, and now they have an MP who goes to gay pride.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s ludicrous to say that."