Alan Duncan has become the first serving Conservative MP to openly declare his homosexuality.

Coming out in a Times interview, the Rutland MP and shadow foreign minister gives a "clear and unequivocal" statement that he is gay.

"Are you gay?," asked the newspaper.

"Well, since you ask, the answer is of course yes. An absolutely honest equivocal and straightforward yes," Duncan replied.

The frontbencher's revelation comes as no great surprise to many who know him and Duncan himself says the issue "was skirted around" in the party - with some colleagues whispering "he's a bit too hot to handle, better not take the risk".

"The Conservative Party is changing and changing fast. It has been a party were anyone who was open would just hit a class ceiling, as has happened to me at some stages," he said.

After 10 years as an MP and at the cutting edge of Conservative attempts to remodel the party, Duncan hopes that his declaration will put Tories more in tune with contemporary British mores.

"Living a in disguise as a politician in the modern world simply isn't an option," he said.

"I think the only realistic way to behave these days, particularly if you are a politician , is to be absolutely honest and upfront, however inconvenient that may be at first."

"The Conservative Party has taken a long time to catch up with the world as it is. Nobody under 35 gives a damn about being gay these days but they feel repelled by people who sneer or condemn."

Duncan hopes that his decision to go public will help make "the paths of others easier".

"Why on earth should the self-esteem of perfectly decent people be so permanently derided? The attitude of politicians can make a real difference," says the MP.

"Who knows how many teenagers got through agonies or even top themselves, when they can't cope with the turmoil of being gay."

But he does not want his future career to become dominated by his sexuality.

"I don't want to be stuck with the label of the first ever openly gay Tory MP. I hope people will put it in context and I will be allowed to talk about other things without being hounded by this," said Duncan.

Iain Duncan Smith has written to his shadow cabinet member pledging his personal support.

"I understand how difficult it must have been for you to have made such an open statement about your private life. What you have done is honest and will not affect you in any way politically in the future," he writes.

"Your talents as a politician have put you on the frontbench and I know our colleagues will join me in saying that you are a valued and valuable member of the parliamentary party and the front bench. Let me take this opportunity to wish you the very best and give you my personal support."