Tag Archives: same sex marriage

Same sex Marriage: another Liberal Democrat victory

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 21st May 2013 - 8:52 pm

The House of Commons has passed the Marriage (Same sex couples) Bill at Third Reading stage with a whopping majority of 205.

Next stop for this measure is the House of Lords after the recess on 3 June.

There will certainly be challenges to it there but the momentum from the last two days of debate and the fact that it was passed by such a large majority bodes well.

We can be sure that without the Liberal Democrats, the measure would not have made it even on to the Commons agenda, given the opposition from within Conservative ranks.

The co-operation across …

Posted in News | 45 Comments

Liberal Democrat MPs to be given free vote on all aspects of Same Sex Marriage Bill

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 15th May 2013 - 7:27 pm

Rumours reach my ears of a surprise decision at last night’s Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Meeting. The Same Sex Marriage Bill comes back to the Commons next Monday for two days of debate on a number of amendments.

At Second Reading in February, no votes were whipped. Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael stepped out of the shadows to explain why to Lib Dem Voice readers.

The view of my parliamentary colleagues that came up time and again was that they supported equal marriage and were keen to see it on the statute book. They wanted, in fact, not just to support the

…

Posted in News and Op-eds | Also tagged equal marriage, featured and same sex marriage bill | 26 Comments

Greg Mulholland to propose “complete separation of state marriage and religious weddings”

By The Voice | Sun 7th April 2013 - 4:00 pm

Lib Dem MP Greg Mulholland was one of seven Lib Dem MPs to abstain from the vote on same-sex marriage in February. He explained his reasons for doing so here:

I do agree unequivocally that all adults must be treated equally in terms of legal recognition of their relationship and the rights that they convey; the question is how best to deliver that at the same time as protecting freedom of conscience. These are two important rights and must both be delivered simultaneously. The problem is that as currently drafted, the Marriage Bill delivers neither of these. It is a confused and flawed piece of legislation that does not actually deliver equality as it proposes different definitions of marriage for heterosexual and same sex couples; nor does it sufficiently protect freedom of conscience for people with religious and other differing views of marriage. This is why I was unable to support the Bill at second reading, however nor did I want to vote against it or what would be misinterpreted as my being anti equal legal rights, which I am very clearly not.

Greg now has a proposal, though it’s far-reaching legislative changes may not be well-received at Westminster:

Posted in News | Also tagged equality bill and greg mulholland | 18 Comments

Opinion: UK sets the right example on same sex marriage

By Daniel Russell | Mon 4th February 2013 - 11:23 am

It’s been a week of ups and downs with regard to marriage equality and I am not just talking about in Britain. This week the Polish parliament voted down a bill that would have introduced civil partnerships. Despite an impassioned plea by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a significant part of his governing party voted against the bill, teaming up with conservative members to destroy any chance it had of becoming law. Indeed, one member declared that she would be voting against the bill because gay people “are of no use whatsoever to society.” From this position, equal

Posted in Op-eds | 14 Comments

Majority back same-sex marriage

By Mark Pack | Sun 3rd February 2013 - 2:49 pm

Wedding rings From the polling published this weekend:

Would you support or oppose changing the law to allow same-sex couples to marry?
Support: 55%
Oppose: 36%

Amongst Conservative voters the results are 44% – 49% (which is a statistical dead heat, when you remember to factor in the margin of error).

Interestingly, the majority support comes despite the lead-up to the question being a tadge inaccurate:

Posted in Polls | Also tagged equalities, featured and yougov | 46 Comments

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone – ‘Church stuck in dark ages’

By Paul Walter | Mon 12th March 2012 - 4:54 pm

In an interview in yesterday’s Sunday Times (£), Lynne Featherstone said plans for same-sex marriages are a ‘gentle measure’ but she will not bear intolerance.

Pink News reports the interview under the heading “UK Equality Minister: Church’s opposition to same sex marriage is ‘Dark Age’ homophobia”:

Lynne Featherstone, the Liberal Democrat minister for equality has said that the language the Church of England and the Catholic Church has used is homophobic and that the views that the leaders are expressing belong in the Dark Ages.

Mrs Featherstone told the Sunday Times: “This is about love and commitment and things that

…

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged lynne featherstone | 9 Comments

Steve Gilbert MP writes… Church opposition to gay marriage is “intolerant, out of touch, and wrong”

By Steve Gilbert MP | Mon 12th March 2012 - 9:24 am

Another Sunday and another set of intolerant and out of touch comments from senior Church leaders who have set their face against the Coalition plans for equal marriage. It’s clear that some parts of the Church are on a collision course with Parliament and the people. But, rather than showing themselves to be modern defenders of values we all share, they are showing how out of touch they are with British society today and the institution they seek to protect. They are also plain wrong: extending marriage to same-sex couples will not undermine the institution; it will renew and reinforce …

Posted in Op-eds | 22 Comments

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Tag Archives: same sex marriage

Same sex Marriage: another Liberal Democrat victory

Liberal Democrat MPs to be given free vote on all aspects of Same Sex Marriage Bill

Greg Mulholland to propose “complete separation of state marriage and religious weddings”

Opinion: UK sets the right example on same sex marriage

Majority back same-sex marriage

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone – ‘Church stuck in dark ages’

Steve Gilbert MP writes… Church opposition to gay marriage is “intolerant, out of touch, and wrong”

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Nick: "Jobs are right at the heart of the Lib Dems’ agenda"

"Lib Dems set to name 7 new peers for House of Lords"

EU in/out referendum bill - will Lib Dem MPs abstain?

The Morrissey Report: "No excuses" says Caron Lindsay

Tag Archives: same sex marriage

Same sex Marriage: another Liberal Democrat victory

Liberal Democrat MPs to be given free vote on all aspects of Same Sex Marriage Bill

Greg Mulholland to propose “complete separation of state marriage and religious weddings”

Opinion: UK sets the right example on same sex marriage

Majority back same-sex marriage

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone – ‘Church stuck in dark ages’

Steve Gilbert MP writes… Church opposition to gay marriage is “intolerant, out of touch, and wrong”

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