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Date added ~ Monday 31st October 2011

Gay marriage by 2015 says Government

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 allowed same sex couples to enter into civil partnerships, but it still draws a distinction between same and opposite sex unions, prohibiting the former from entering into a marriage and the latter a civil partnership. A consultation is to be launched next spring to consider how the law can be changed to allow same sex marriage before the next general election.


However, gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, criticised the consultation, which have already been delayed from its original start date of last June, saying “I am not convinced that there needs to be any consultation at all. The ban on same-sex marriage is homophobic discrimination and should be repealed."

During the Lib Dem autumn conference taking place this week, Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone confirmed that the current law is “simply unfair.” She went on to say that “Britain must not be complacent. We are a world leader for gay rights but there is still more we must do."

Yvette Cooper of the labour party, however, warned “we will have to see whether this amounts to a real commitment or just an announcement for Lib Dem party conference that will not be implemented in this Parliament.”

Meanwhile a case is planned to be taken to the European Court of Justice by a collection of couples who will ask the court to consider the UK ban on same sex marriage and opposite sex civil partnership.

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