Liberal Democrats urge ministers to back “£5bn” policy to allow homosexual “marriage”

A Liberal Democrat minister has pledged that homosexual couples should be allowed to get married.

A Liberal Democrat minister has pledged that homosexual couples should be allowed to get married.

At this year’s Annual Party Conference Lynn Featherstone, junior Home Office minister with responsibility for equality, said she could “hear the growing call” for homosexuals to be given the right to marry. She promised to bring forward plans “relatively soon”, and was asking the question “how far do you unravel the 200-year-old marriage laws?”

Unsurprisingly, the motion and debate on the issue was led by former Oxford West and Abingdon MP Evan Harris, who said it was time for the Liberal Democrats in Government to press for a change in the law. He said the party “should seize the moment to push the agenda forward”.

Although Liberal Democrat ministers support the move, it is unlikely to have an immediate impact on government policy.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has voiced his support for homosexual “marriage” in the past but Prime Minister David Cameron made it clear before the General Election that he had no immediate plans to change the definition of marriage.

Several Liberal Democrat party members opposed the motion at the conference. Fred Dunford, from Meon Valley, Hampshire argued it would cost the Liberal Democrats votes on the doorstep.

“Civil partnerships give enough legal protection and in tax and inheritance rights. I do not believe that we should go as far as marriage,” he said.

Stonewall, the homosexual campaign group, has suggested that the move would cost the economy an extra £5billion over 10 years because of increased pension payments to heterosexual couples who may theoretically wish to take up civil partnerships. This statement, from their own camp, has not pleased many in the homosexual lobby groups who see that such an economic argument in the current climate might irrevocably damage their case for marriage.

In July 2010, Ms Featherstone stated in a written answer to a parliamentary question that homosexual couples could be allowed to “marry” in traditional religious ceremonies.

Andrea Minichiello Williams, Director of CCFON, said: “The institution of marriage is designed by God as between one man and one woman for life. This is the foundation of a civilised society and serves as the best environment for the bringing up of children. It is vital to safeguard the institution of marriage for future generations and for the benefit of society.”

Sources

Christian Concern: Homosexuals to get equal right to “marry”.