AN ALLOA man is leading the fight in scrapping the restitution cap for LGBT veterans affected by the ‘gay-ban’.

Fighting with Pride is a veterans charity devoted to supporting their LGBT members, campaigning on behalf of their members affected by the ban.

The so-called ‘gay-ban’ was in place until 2000, which did not permit LGBT people to be in the armed forces, despite homosexuality being decriminalised in the UK in 1967.

This meant that many members of the UK armed forces believed to be LGBT were met with dismissal from the service.

The UK Government has since offered compensation to those affected by the ban, but have imposed a strict £50 million cap on renumeration.

This severely limits the payout each member will pay, with Dougie Morgan, operations manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland, fighting to scrap the cap to allow for fair compensation to all those affected.

He said: “How can you put a price on individuals who were affected, lost their pensions or lost their career? There should be no cap.

“That’s the only recommendation that hasn’t been lifted by the UK Government, but they’ve opened the list for veterans to register.

“They’re going to see how many people register before they start looking at financial limitations and things like that.

“Fighting with Pride is the only LGBT military charity fighting to lift this cap because we feel it’s really unfair.

“We’re fighting to not put a cap on people’s lives.”

Fighting with Pride has also worked alongside several Clacks LGBT organisations and charities such as Forth Valley Lavender Rooms, as well as supporting LGBT education in schools like Dollar Academy.

Dougie’s mission has been backed by several politicians, including Keith Brown, SNP MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane.

Mr Brown openly condemned the UK Government’s actions, calling for them to hold a long-promised debate on the restitution cap and do more to support LGBT veterans.

He said: “It is my view that the so-called 'gay-ban', and the way it was implemented, put LGBT+ members of the armed forces into a specifically discriminatory situation in our society – notwithstanding the difficult social and legal situation faced by all LGBT+ people at that time – because, while homosexuality was decriminalised for civilians in 1967, the ban on LGBT+ people being members of the armed forces remained in place for another 33 years.

“The way that those who were prepared to serve their country with loyalty and distinction were not met with that same loyalty in return is something which cannot be justified, and which both Scotland and the UK must atone for - and I'd urge the UK Government to do so.   

“As a Parliament, we must stand united behind our LGBT+ Veterans, and call on the UK Government to do the same, support Fighting with Pride and the immense work they do to support LGBT+ veterans, implement the recommendations of this report, and lastly and most importantly, scrap the cap.”