Tributes paid following death of trailblazing judge who led review on Armed Forces' 'gay ban'

Lord Etherton, Britain's first openly gay senior judge who led a review into the impact of a historical ban on LGBT+ serving personnel, has died at the age of 73.

Craig Jones, the founder of the LGBT+ military charity Fighting with Pride, has led tributes to "this incredible elder statesman" who "will sorely be missed".

"Lord Etherton won the trust, respect and gratitude of veterans who had spent lives in the darkness, as he lifted them into the light," said the former Royal Navy officer and LGBT+ advocate.

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"He restored hope and was a champion for those who had felt their battle for justice long lost," said Mr Jones.

"It was a great honour to support him as he worked to help make the military family complete, restoring the modern values of our Armed Forces to veterans' communities across the UK."

Lord Etherton was Chancellor of the High Court between 2013 and 2016 and Master of the Rolls between 2016 and 2021.

His report into the "gay ban" in the British Armed Forces revealed a culture of overt homophobia resulting in bullying, assaults and blackmail. 

It was illegal to be gay in the British Armed Forces until 2000. Anyone found out to be gay could be expelled, leaving them without a pension. Some were even imprissoned.

Lord Etherton's report focused on the years between 1967, when homosexuality began to be decriminalised in wider British society, and 2000.

More than 5,000 people in the Armed Forces are thought to have been affected by the discriminatory legislation and culture during those years.

Ed Hall, chair of the Trustees of Fighting With Pride, said: "I gave evidence myself to Lord Etherton, as did many hundreds of others, and we all hoped the outcome would be positive.  

"The truth, though, is that none of us had any expectation of the tremendous impact his report would have, and the way in which governments of both colours would warmly embrace his powerful recommendations."

Lord Etherton's report made 49 recommendations to the government, including the clarification of pension rights and the payment of reparartions to those who were dismissed. The Government has began making those payments, with LGBT veterans who are terminally ill having already received their compensation.

The report also suggested that veterans should be given back their medals that had been taken away upon expulsion from the military.

Last year, a new ribbon named after Lord Etherton was presented to LGBT+ personnel affected by the ban.

Fighting With Pride's Mr Hall said he saw Lord Etherton quite recently at the Houses of Parliament, where "we spoke about a future lunch where we would discuss the progress of the reparations, and the delivery of the LGBT+ Armed Forces Community Memorial to be unveiled later this year at the National Memorial Arboretum", he said.

"Sadly, that lunch will have to remain forever on hold, but the brilliant and life-changing work he began for our community will continue in his name."