Gay news service honours Alex Salmond and Ruth Davidson

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-34599793

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Former first minister Alex Salmond and Scotland's Conservative Party leader Ruth Davidson have been handed awards by gay news service PinkNews.

The SNP's Mr Salmond was honoured for his contribution to achieving equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people.

And Ms Davidson was named politician of the year.

She was praised for featuring her partner Jen Wilson in a party political broadcast ahead of May's election.

Mr Salmond, who is now MP for Gordon, said he was "honoured" to accept the Ally Award from PinkNews which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

He said: "Since I first became an MP, Scotland has taken huge strides towards becoming the fair and equal country that we all want to see.

"The creation of the Scottish Parliament has allowed us to change the law for the better and Scotland is now rated the most progressive in Europe for LGBTI rights.

"I was proud to lead the government which introduced one of the best equal marriage acts in the world."

'Holding hands'

He added that there was still work to be done "to protect and promote equality and human rights in the UK and internationally".

Reacting to her award, Ms Davidson said: "I had no idea how to be gay in public when I was first elected. I've tried hard to always be an honest voice when asked about LGBT issues and to show myself and my relationships in an honest way.

"I was so proud of my partner, Jen, when she asked me earlier this year if we could do something to help during the equal marriage debate in her native Ireland."

She added: "I hope small acts like our party election broadcast, holding hands on the way to vote as any other political couple might do, and others, helps to make sexuality a non-issue in the politics of the future."