Tory schools minister to marry secret gay lover...

A Tory minister last night announced he is marrying his male partner after a secret 29-year relationship.

Nick Gibb revealed his romance with Michael Simmonds, the chief executive of polling organisation Populus.

They plan to marry in November.

The schools minister, 54, who came out to his family last week, praised David Cameron's 'marvellous service' to the country by championing gay marriage.

He told The Times: 'I think my mother was initially shocked – that's an age thing – but then very supportive and what she wants is for me to be happy.

'We are, so to her being a loving family is more important than anything else.'

The MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton said he and his partner had been 'comfortable' with the secret relationship and admitted they fell in love in a 'different era'.

But he was disappointed that they could not attend family events or spend Christmas together as a couple.

The couple fell in love at a think-tank dinner when they were young activists.

Mr Gibb said: 'We realised very quickly we had an interest in common and it was pretty rapid. We fell in love very quickly. It was harder then.

'Homosexuality was only made legal in 1967. There was discrimination in industry and the professions.

'It was easier to have a relationship that wasn't known about. It didn't really bother us, we both had successful careers. We just got on with life.'