Marriage Equality in the UK?

[marshlander]

There is a bit of a buzz that tomorrow will see an announcement to introduce marriage equality effectively doing away with the need for civil partnerships in the UK. Word is that an announcement will be made tomorrow afternoon at the Liberal Democrat Conference. Let's see .....

http://sosogay.org/2011/government-set-t...e-rumours/

[Almac]

The Liberal Democrats can announce what they like, but I bet the Conservatives will not be doing anything about it anytime soon??

[Loupgarou]

From what I understood, UK civil partnership already grants the same rights and responsibilities of marriage to gay couples.
Keeping this formal distinction between the two institutions seems really dumb to me.

Anyway, I'm hoping for UK to be the next country to have same-sex marriages. mile:

[marshlander]

The Liberal Democrats can announce what they like, but I bet the Conservatives will not be doing anything about it anytime soon??

Lynne Featherstone is the Equalities Minister and is a LibDem. David Cameron has been making noises about it since before he took office. I'm a little more optimistic than you on this one I think. If they do go ahead there will be the usual religiously invoked campaign against. I hope Cameron will hold his nerve and not make another u-turn. No doubt some will see this as a diversion from some of the more difficult issues and real hardships that people are facing at the moment and complain that it is not important.

From what I understood, UK civil partnership already grants the same rights and responsibilities of marriage to gay couples.
Keeping this formal distinction between the two institutions seems really dumb to me.

Anyway, I'm hoping for UK to be the next country to have same-sex marriages. mile:

The distinction is dumb, but was a means to an end. Tony Blair's government seemed to think they stood a much better chance of getting civil partnerships through than going for marriage in one go. They may have been right, but despite the similarity in rights and responsibilities between marriage and civil partnership separate development was never equality.

Speaking selfishly I'd love to see it go through not only here but also in France.

[Almac]

[quote=marshlander]Lynne Featherstone is the Equalities Minister and is a LibDem. David Cameron has been making noises about it since before he took office. I'm a little more optimistic than you on this one I think. If they do go ahead there will be the usual religiously invoked campaign against. I hope Cameron will hold his nerve and not make another u-turn. No doubt some will see this as a diversion from some of the more difficult issues and real hardships that people are facing at the moment and complain that it is not important.

Marshlander can't you hear the right wing howling wolves ready to rip apart any idea of gay marriage? Call me cynical but I really can't see gay marriage happening, not in this present Parliament anyway. Remembering David Cameron has said a lot of things whilst in opposition that he never followed up on, and the Lib-Dems are infamous for backtracking. You're so right about some people seeing this as a diversion from more difficult issues, I've just read that in my part of England we've got the highest child poverty in England, so it would appear there are more pressing issues for our political elite to think about at the moment.

[fredv3b]

Sorry to be cynical but all that has been announced is the long awaited consultation on the issue and that will not be conducted until the spring.

Me suspects that the Lib Dems are keen to move slowly on this and get it done towards the end of the current Parliament so that it will be fresh in voters minds come the election. There is no point in political victories that have faded come election time.


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[marshlander]

It looks like you are right, Fred. I'm not usually taken in so easily, but I did get a little excited as this news filtered through.

Still, however it comes, it is right that it does and it is still overdue. The consultation was supposed to happen earlier this year till the god squad interfered.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/pol...56475.html