Cameron welcomes gay celebrities to Number 10

David Cameron pledged his support for gay rights tonight before jokingly referring to his deputy, Nick Clegg, as 'my own civil partner'.

Gay celebrities and members of the Armed Forces partied at Number 10 as Mr Cameron became the first Tory Prime Minister to reach out to the gay community.

BBC newsreader Jane Hill and Today presenter Evan Davis were among almost 200 guests invited to the Downing Street drinks party.

Guest: Newsreader Jane Hill

Guest: Singer Duncan James

Guest: Actress Amanda Barrie

Others included former Coronation Street actress Amanda Barrie, journalist Matthew Parris, and singer Duncan James, of the boy band Blue.

Gay representatives of all three branches of the Armed Forces also attended, in full uniform.

The event was designed to help reposition the new Government as a champion of equality after decades in which the Conservatives have been accused of anti-gay prejudice.

The Tories' bid for the so-called 'pink vote' was derailed during the election when the then Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said Christian B&B should have the right to refuse accommodation to gay couples. His comments outraged gay activists. After the election Mr Grayling missed out on a seat in Cabinet.

'My own civil partner': Nick Clegg, right, laughs along as David Cameron makes a speech at the Gay Pride reception at Number 10

Gay rights: Mr Cameron looks serious as he chats to a guest in the Downing Street garden

Government sources acknowledged that the No10 event, held in the run-up to the annual Gay Pride festival, was partly designed to repair the damage done.

Arrival: Gay representatives of the Armed Forces attended in full uniform

But a source said it was also a sign of the coalition Government's commitment to equal rights.

Mr Cameron told guests that he backed 'equal rights and equal treatment', adding: 'I'm standing here as leader of the Conservative Party that has not always got that right.'

Guest Rosey Cox, from Nottingham Pride, said she thought her invitation was a hoax when it first arrived.

She said: 'I just do Pride. I didn't know what it meant to so many people.'

The event was held as the Government unveiled a 'Transgender Action Plan' to crack down on discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals.

Proposals-include allowing gay civil partnerships to take place in religious buildings, but stop short of allowing 'gay marriage' - a key demand of some activists.

With Mr Clegg by his side, Mr Cameron said he wanted civil partnerships to be carried out in places of worship if possible, adding: 'We shouldn't have this legalistic nonsense getting in the way of people who want to celebrate their civil partnership in churches.'

Guest Antony Cotton, who plays gay character Sean Tully in Coronation Street, was there as an ambassador of The Albert Kennedy Trust, which helps homeless gay teenagers.

He said: 'It was set up after a young boy died in Manchester.

'He was homeless and was being chased by what you would now call homophobic bullies and he was chased to the top of a car park and jumped off.

'The trust helps young people all over the country who are homeless after coming out.'