John Bercow, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, yesterday said the Tories should do more to promote gay rights and accept social change.

"I believe passionately in live and let live, and I think that the Conservative Party believes in the live-and-let-live society. It is not for us to set ourselves up as moral policemen of the way people conduct their affairs; it's not for us to award marks out of 10 to people to how they live their lives," he told GMTV.