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| Pride marchers enjoy party parade | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Rubber suits, drag costumes and knee-high boots were the order of the day as central London was awash with colour during the annual Pride celebrations. | |
| The parade, celebrating gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender culture, brought the West End to a standstill. | |
| Marchers then gathered in Trafalgar Square for a party with live music, dancing and speeches. | |
| Protests by right-wing and church groups against the promotion of homosexuality failed to damped spirits. | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown had met organisers at Downing Street ahead of the march. | |
| Among the equalities campaigners who attended the garden party at Number 10 was festival patron and comic Rhona Cameron, who led the parade. | |
| It's not just enough to be out and proud today - we have to be out and proud every day Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London | |
| Mr Brown's wife, Sarah, wore colourful necklaces over black clothes and carried a pink, red and white version of the union jack as she joined the head of the march. | Mr Brown's wife, Sarah, wore colourful necklaces over black clothes and carried a pink, red and white version of the union jack as she joined the head of the march. |
| Thousands of people lined the route of the parade, some dressed as flamboyantly as the participants. | Thousands of people lined the route of the parade, some dressed as flamboyantly as the participants. |
| The marchers as they made their way along Oxford Street, followed by drag queens in huge blonde wigs and union jack outfits. | The marchers as they made their way along Oxford Street, followed by drag queens in huge blonde wigs and union jack outfits. |
| One group in Regent Street wore rubber suits and masks decorated with ropes. | One group in Regent Street wore rubber suits and masks decorated with ropes. |
| Drag queen | |
| A drag queen, wearing a dress made from plastic sheeting and used drink cans, also caused a stir - and lots of noise - when she walked past. | A drag queen, wearing a dress made from plastic sheeting and used drink cans, also caused a stir - and lots of noise - when she walked past. |
| There were big crowds at Piccadilly Circus, where a man dressed in knee-high boots, pants and a Native American feather head-dress danced beneath the statue of Eros. | |
| There was a carnival atmosphere as the parade marched through London | |
| A small, peaceful group of National Front protesters held banners saying "stop the promotion of homosexuality" from behind a barrier at the bottom or Regent Street. | |
| Two men were cheered by crowds as they kissed in front of the protesters, who did not react. | |
| Another group of around 30 protesters preached through a loudspeaker and held signs saying homosexuality was against God's wishes. | |
| Thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square, where former M People vocalist Heather Small was cheered as she took to the stage to sing Proud. | |
| Mayor of London Boris Johnson was unable to attend, but sent a video message which said: "I want to say how proud I am to be supporting this great, great occasion." | |
| He said Pride sent out a message to the world that London was open, generous and welcoming. | |
| Booing | |
| However, many in the crowd booed when he appeared on the screen. | |
| Deputy mayor, Richard Barnes, took to the stage and told the crowd: "It's not just enough to be out and proud today. We have to be out and proud every day." | |
| The Prime Minister had described the creation of civil partnerships as one of a set of "massive strides towards equality" for the gay community made under Labour - "often in the face of fierce opposition". | |
| "This government is committed to standing at your shoulders in the fight for equality and we are guided by one very simple principle when it comes to LGBT rights: you can't legislate love," he said. | "This government is committed to standing at your shoulders in the fight for equality and we are guided by one very simple principle when it comes to LGBT rights: you can't legislate love," he said. |
| In pictures: Pride party politics | In pictures: Pride party politics |
| However, Pride founder Peter Tatchell has described civil partnerships for same-sex couples as "a form of sexual apartheid". | However, Pride founder Peter Tatchell has described civil partnerships for same-sex couples as "a form of sexual apartheid". |
| He said on Friday he was planning to press Mrs Brown to speak to her husband about giving gay people the right to marry in the same way as heterosexual couples. | He said on Friday he was planning to press Mrs Brown to speak to her husband about giving gay people the right to marry in the same way as heterosexual couples. |
| During the march, Mr Tatchell carried a sign saying: "Gordon and Sarah can marry, gays can't. End the ban on gay marriage." | During the march, Mr Tatchell carried a sign saying: "Gordon and Sarah can marry, gays can't. End the ban on gay marriage." |
| Last week, a political row was triggered when Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw, who is openly gay, told a public debate there remained a "deep strain of homophobia" running through the Conservative Party. | Last week, a political row was triggered when Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw, who is openly gay, told a public debate there remained a "deep strain of homophobia" running through the Conservative Party. |
| It provoked an angry reaction from Alan Duncan, one of two gay members of the shadow cabinet, who accused Labour of "poisonous mudslinging" in a bid to stir up hatred and reopen old divisions. | It provoked an angry reaction from Alan Duncan, one of two gay members of the shadow cabinet, who accused Labour of "poisonous mudslinging" in a bid to stir up hatred and reopen old divisions. |
| "It is deeply unworthy and unjustified," he said. | "It is deeply unworthy and unjustified," he said. |