Brown Pushes Europe on Gay Rights

British prime minister Gordon Brown is pushing for his country's same-sex civil partnerships to be recognized throughout Europe, including in Eastern Europe, where LGBT rights such as marriage and adoption continue to face significant opposition.

Brown, leader of the Labour Party, spoke with journalist Johann Hari in an interview for Attitude, a U.K. gay magazine.

According to the BBC, which reported on the Attitude interview, Brown said he wants countries across the European Union to recognize Britain's civil partnerships.

"I'm fighting to get all the countries in Europe to recognize civil partnerships carried out in Britain," said Brown.

"We want countries where that hasn't been the case -- especially in Eastern Europe -- to recognize them. We're negotiating agreements with France and then with Spain," said Brown.

"Of course it will be tough, and will take many years, but that has never ever been a good reason not to fight," he said.

According to the BBC, Brown rejected calls to cut British aid to Uganda, the African country where a bill is pending that could impose the death penalty on gay people. Brown said that "the point about aid is that it saves lives."