LGBT+ rights in the Commonwealth

That this House notes that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is set to take place in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, from 1 to 4 November 2026; recognises the value of the Commonwealth to the United Kingdom through its diplomatic, educational, sporting, cultural and family ties; further notes that the Commonwealth Charter commits all 56 member states to equality, human dignity, tolerance and respect for human rights; expresses deep concern that 29 member states, more than half of the Commonwealth, still criminalise consensual same-sex relations between adults; further recognises that LGBT+ people in many of these countries face imprisonment, violence and societal exclusion, and that anti-LGBT laws are being extended in some states; welcomes the progress made in countries such as India, Botswana and Saint Lucia; and calls on the Government to use the upcoming meeting to secure a clear commitment from member states to repeal laws criminalising same-sex relations, to uphold the rights of transgender people, and to work alongside local civil society to end discrimination against LGBT+ people across the Commonwealth.