I only wonder, because it’s a bit odd if the Ben Summerskill who last September said it was too soon to decide on whether or not to support gay marriage as he would not be “jumped into” expressing a view on proposals (on what is, after all, hardly a new issue) is the same Ben Summerskill who is now complaining that the government is not moving quickly enough on the issue?
Though if I were a minister, I’d be tempted to write to him, “Yes Ben, we’re not moving at the speed you’ve strongly argued for previously. We’re moving much faster.”
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6 Comments
He was wrong then and hypocritical now….
Equality surely means allowing Gay Marriage or banning heterosexual ones (OK there are days I’d plump for the latter but probably less than my wife!!).
This may not be a vote winner, but it go a long way to restoring my faith in the party if this were pushed to the top of the agenda.
Steve, this is already a priority for the Liberal Democrats – we’re the first and only major party to have this policy, after all, so we can take a lot of the credit for the Government’s consultation which was announced yesterday. LGBT Lib Dems have a get involved page to encourage people from all political backgrounds to support the consultation, and we’ll be pushing for the Government to move as quickly as possible on this.
Good luck to the Lib Dems on bringing in gay marriage.
I think there’s an even more important issue than this though. Are the Lib Dems going to do anything about the utterly shameful legalised discrimination which exists in the form of exemtpion for religious organisations from equality legislation?
Ha, quite. I almost spat my tea out when I read that quote from BS yesterday …
Bizarre stuff.
@Dave PAge
Absolutely agree and one of the reasons I voted Lib Dem. The problem is that some of the other reasons I voted Lib Dem have turned out to be red herrings or outright lies.
I am one of a group of people who instinctively want to believe in the party but feel let down by the leadership. It is the leadership that can turn these feelings around and actually following through on this in the face of (what I assume will be) fierce Tory objection would be a step in the right direction.
Yes, but let’s not forget that Lynne Featherstone also said on the same day to the Church Times
““a review of further possible changes to the law to bring civil partnerships and civil marriage more closely in line with each other” but that this did not constitute “government approval of “gay marriages in churches”” Ms Featherstone emphasised that this was a matter of “early days and baby steps”. There was as yet no defined plan of activity, but the Government would consult very broadly and very carefully before proceeding further. If suggested changes to the civil arrangements impinged on the law relating to marriage in the Church of England, that would have to be taken into account. This announcement, said the Minister, was simply a commitment to look further at the relevant issues, which were complex. The consultations were not working to any deadline, and would be allowed to take “whatever time it takes”.
Yes, BS is hypocritical but he is absolutuely correct the government is painfully slow. Let’s us not forget the promised religious CP aren’t due until later this year, 2 yrs after the bill was passed!!!!