The UK has dropped another three places in a Europe-wide rank of the best countries for LGBT+ people, after being ranked first just five years ago.

Rainbow Europe, an index put together by campaign group ILGA-Europe, ranked how each European country’s laws and policies impacted on the lives of LGBT+ people, with zero indicating gross human rights abuses and 100 per cent the greatest degree of equality.

Between 2018 and 2019, the UK slid from fourth to seventh place.

In 2018, the UK scored 73 per cent and was tied with Finland and France just below the top three countries.

The 2019 ranking, announced in Oslo on Monday 13 May, saw the UK slide to 65 per cent, tied with Portugal.

LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russia’s antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT “propaganda” allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this ‘crime’ since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty

Malta ranked first, followed by Belgium and Luxembourg. Norway, Denmark and Finland also ranked higher than the UK.

Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia were the bottom three countries for LGBT+ people in 2019, with a score of 3 per cent, 5 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.

Due to a shift in the number and weighing of categories included in the survey, several other countries that had formerly been seen as leaders of LGBT+ equality saw their overall percentages slip.

Germany, France and Norway also saw their percentages fall over the past 12 months.

“Sadly, this year, we see concrete evidence of roll-back at political and legislative levels in a growing number of countries,” said ILGA-Europe’s Executive Director, Evelyne Paradis. “There is no more time to waste.”

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A spokeswoman for Britain’s Government Equalities Office said in an email: ”The UK has a proud record of promoting equality for LGBT people and we continue to be recognised as one of the leading progressive countries in Europe for LGBT rights.”