While three openly gay Tory MPs currently serve in the British Parliament, the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party may soon triple their number of out officials.  According to research conducted by ConservativeHome, a conservative UK blog, the party could elect up to seven new openly gay Members of Parliament.

The poll researched candidates for the top 200 target seats that were held by the Tories. Of those currently held, seven named candidates are openly gay, according to Pinknews.  The seven candidates are:

Stuart Andrew (Pudsey)
Nick Boles (Grantham and Stamford)
Mike Freer (Finchley and Golders Green)
David Gold (Eltham)
Margot James (Stourbridge)
Nick King (Dorset Mid and Poole North)
Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South)

“It provoked much comment when David Gold became the first ever openly gay Conservative candidate when he unsuccessfully stood in Brighton Pavilion in 2001…” said Jonathan Isaby, an editor of ConservativeHome.  “These figures are a clear sign of how attitudes have changed in the Conservative Party in recent years.”

Currently, Alan Duncan, Nick Herbert, and Gregory Barker are the only openly gay Tory members of parliament.