`The Sun' Said:

Is Britain being run by a gay Mafia of politicians, lawyers, Palace courtiers and TV bigwigs? - Sun front-page editorial, Monday…

Is Britain being run by a gay Mafia of politicians, lawyers, Palace courtiers and TV bigwigs? - Sun front-page editorial, Monday, under a full-page headline "Tell us the truth Tony".

The Sun is not anti-gay. Like most people, we are tolerant. We even have friends who are gay! - Editorial, Tuesday, as second thoughts set in.

Remember: these cabinet ministers make decisions about YOUR kids' education. They make decisions about whether YOUR kids have gay sex at 16. - The same editorial.

Let's face facts: the vast majority of people did NOT know [Agriculture Minister Nick] Brown was gay. Or Peter Mandelson. Or Ron Davies. - Ditto.

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From now on the Sun will not reveal the sexuality of any gays . . . Why are we doing this? Because we recognise that public attitudes are changing . . . Now, can we please all get on with what REALLY matters in life? - Climbdown editorial, Thursday.

Factfile: The Sun sells 3.7 million copies a day, the highest of Britain's so-called red-top tabloids. The total sale includes 88,000 in the Republic and 85,000 in Northern Ireland. The climbdown editorial did not say what the Sun thinks really, REALLY matters in life.