British Tory leader backs gay frontbencher

Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has pledged his personal support for frontbencher Alan Duncan after the foreign affairs spokesman became the first sitting Tory MP to declare openly he is gay.

Mr Duncan Smith promised the revelation would not harm Mr Duncan’s political career.

The Tory leader said in a letter to him: ‘‘What you have done is honest and will not affect you in any way politically in the future.’’