The head of the Army has made clear his personal opposition to soldiers in uniform participating in a Gay Pride march that is due to take place in London in a fortnight, The Times has learnt.

General Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff, emphasised his views during a meeting with other service chiefs and a junior defence minister last week, sources said.

His stand was in direct contrast to the position taken by Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, who gave his authority for sailors who are gay or lesbian to join the march and wear their uniforms.

One source said that Sir Richard was “apoplectic” about having any member of the Army marching in uniform at such an event. Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, the Chief of the Air Staff, was said to be ambivalent about the issue, although he tended to side with General Dannatt on the question of airmen wearing their uniforms, one source said.

The minister, Derek Twigg, the UnderSecretary of State for Defence, is understood to have laid down the official Ministry of Defence position: that individuals’ sexual orientation was a private matter and that they should be free to choose whether to disclose that they are homosexual.

In accordance with MoD policy, that meant individuals should be allowed to choose whether to attend the Gay Pride march on June 30.

However, the MoD said yesterday that it was left to the three Service chiefs to decide whether those attending the march should be allowed to wear their uniform. “That’s a matter for the chain of command, not for the MoD,” one official said.

One Whitehall source said: “The problem is that Sir Richard is worried that soldiers in uniform will be marching alongside a bunch of blokes dressed as Marilyn Monroe, and this might be seen to be disrespectful to the image of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.”

A defence source said that General Dannatt, who is a strong Christian with deeply held views on morality, was not making a moral judgment on homosexuality, but was clearly concerned about soldiers in uniform attending the march.

Last year members of the Royal Navy who are gay or lesbian took part in a Gay Pride march for the first time in uniform after Admiral Band gave his approval. But no soldiers or airmen appeared in uniform. Sources said that members of the RAF took part but were dressed in civilian clothes, most of them wearing a T-shirt bearing the words, “proud2serve”.

Through the MoD, General Dannatt said: “The Armed Forces’ policy on sexual orientation is clear. It is a private matter and personnel are free to choose on whether or not to disclose their sexual orientation.” He added: “As the Chief of the General Staff, I am determined to ensure that everyone is respected so that they feel able to make the selfless commitment that the Army demands, in the full knowledge that their contribution will be valued, and that they will be treated fairly at all times.”

A spokesman for the MoD said: “Service personnel do take part in Gay Pride events and continue to do so. The issue of the wearing of uniform at such events is under consideration by the chain of command, with whom the final decision rests.”

Sources said that an eleventh-hour meeting was going to be held next week in which the three Service chiefs would make clear their individual decisions on the uniform issue. With the Navy already on board, it will be up to General Dannatt and Air Chief Marshal Torpy to inform ministers whether they are prepared to join with the Navy or bar their gay and lesbian members from turning up in uniform.

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