British PM's wife joins 1000s at gay pride parade

2009-07-04 17:55:01 -

LONDON (AP) - The wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has joined thousands of revelers in London's annual gay pride march.
Sarah Brown held a red, white and pink version of the Union Jack as the noisy parade wound through the city center before a rally and concert in Trafalgar Square.
Everyone from drag queens to

firefighters and soldiers in uniform joined the parade, organized by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups.
Earlier, organizers met the Browns outside 10 Downing St.
The prime minister said Britain had made «massive strides towards equality,» including the introduction of civil partnerships for gay couples. These have the same legal status as marriage, but some campaigners want the word marriage to apply to both gay and straight couples.