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Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry at a protest in London over gay rights in Russia. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA
Stephen Fry at a protest in London over gay rights in Russia. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA

David Cameron met Stephen Fry to discuss Russian gay rights row

This article is more than 10 years old
Meeting of prime minister and comedian at East End pub was brokered by Evgeny Lebedev

David Cameron secretly met the comedian Stephen Fry in an East End pub to discuss Russia's anti-gay rights laws, as the prime minister faced new calls to raise the issue with Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit.

The highly unusual meeting was brokered by Evgeny Lebedev, son of the billionaire Russian Alexander Lebedev, owner of the Independent, after Fry publicly called for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Sochi next year.

Cameron is under pressure from activists including Fry to condemn new laws in Russia that impose heavy fines on anyone disseminating information about homosexuality to under 18s.

The issue has been in the spotlight as Moscow is hosting the world athletics championships, where there have been protests by sportsmen and women.

Fry, who has more than six million followers on Twitter, is an influential voice in the campaign to boycott the Sochi Games, comparing the situation to the decision to hold the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany.

After Fry called for "an absolute ban on the Russian Winter Olympics", Cameron tweeted a reply saying that attending the event was a better way of challenging prejudice.

It is understood the two men met on Monday night, two days after the Twitter exchange, for drinks at the Grapes pub in Limehouse. The pub is jointly owned by Lebedev and the actor Ian McKellen.

Fry has maintained his silence on Twitter about the meeting, but sources said it was a friendly conversation rather than official talks. A spokesman for Lebedev said the matter was private.

Fry has previously said he "instinctively dislikes" the Conservatives but admires Cameron's achievement in legalising gay marriage.

On Sunday campaigners said Cameron had still not made it clear what he would do about Russia's stance on gay rights, despite winning positive publicity for his meeting with Fry.

Peter Tatchell, the veteran human rights and LGBT campaigner, said: "It's great that David Cameron met Stephen Fry but what's the actual outcome of this meeting? David Cameron said he wouldn't support a boycott of Sochi Winter Olympics but he hasn't said what he'll do himself."

Tatchell, whose presence at Downing Street functions has been repeatedly vetoed in recent years, said a coalition of gay rights groups would hold a protest outside Downing Street in early September as part of a new campaign called Love Russia, Hate Homophobia.

"It will be just before the G20 summit hosted by President Putin," Tatchell told the Guardian. "The main message of this is directed at David Cameron. We want him to give an undertaking that he will raise the issue at the G20 summit and to publicly appeal to President Putin to repeal the anti-gay laws. Our hope is that the London protest on 3 September will turn into a global protest."

Russia has reacted defensively to the public pressure over its new laws, with its sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, claiming on Sunday that it was an "invented problem" whipped up by western media.

More on this story

More on this story

  • Russian athlete describes 'gay kiss' speculation as 'sick fantasies' - video

  • Rupert Everett joins boycott of Russian Winter Olympics over anti-gay laws

  • Russian athlete denies kiss with relay partner was in protest at anti-gay law

  • Russia: gay relationships like drug or alcohol abuse, says sports minister – video

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