A number of Tory MPs have admitted to withdrawing support for the Government’s plan to legalise same-sex marriage after expressing concerns that they were “haemorrhaging” votes over the controversial proposal.
According to the Mail on Sunday, Conservative MPs have formed a secret group to persuade PM David Cameron to drop his same-sex marriage plan after receiving an “avalanche” of letters from Conservative supporters strongly opposing the move.
One Home Counties Tory MP said: “We're worried we'll haemorrhage votes unless Cameron backs down.
“These protests are not from the usual suspects of complainants. These are from quiet, unassuming Tory supporters telling us, do this and we won't vote for you again.”
Philip Lee
Two letters sent by Conservative MP for Bracknell in Berkshire, GP Philip Lee, reveal how the MP changed his position on same-sex marriage after a constituent expressed disapproval of the proposals.
In a letter dated March 30, Dr Lee outlined his support for the government’s plans saying: 'I agree with the Prime Minister that society is made stronger by people's commitment to one another. This is true whether the couple making the commitment is a man and a woman, a man and a man or a woman and a woman. For most of my constituents there are more pressing issues of concern.'
However, just three weeks later Dr Lee sent a letter to the same constituent, stating tha the 'vast majority of people' were against the plan. He wrote: 'With the strength of opposition from so many of my constituents, I have had to review my own position.'
Dr Lee also admitted that many Tory MPs believe that a re-definition of marriage is unnecessary since homosexual couples already have all the rights and privileges conferred on married couples under the 2004 Civil Partnership Act.
Doubt
Concerns about the government’s plans have also been expressed by Chief Whip Patrick McLoughlin, a senior Roman Catholic figure in the Conservative Party, who commented that the proposal to re-define marriage would “not come to vote” and “would be kicked into the long grass.”
David Burrowes, a Conservative MP who is a prominent supporter of traditional marriage, previously stated that levels of opposition to the introduction of same-sex marriage had taken ministers by surprise.
“There is a significant number of Members of Parliament, particularly Conservative Members of Parliament, who are concerned about whether we should legislate on marriage,” he said.
Seats
The government’s plans to introduce same-sex marriage could cost the Tories between eight and thirty seats in a general election, according to a recent poll carried out by ComRes.
The poll, commissioned for the Coalition for Marriage, found that thirty-two per cent of those who had voted Tory said that the proposal to re-define marriage made them “less likely” to vote Conservative.
Andrew Hawkins, the chairman of ComRes, warned PM David Cameron that the Conservatives would have to “win back” lost 2010 voters in order to succeed at an election.
Widespread Opposition
The proposals have also been met with significant opposition from religious leaders across the country, with senior figures in the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England insisting that marriage must remain the life-long union between one man and one woman.
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, previously said that same-sex marriage would amount to “cultural vandalism”, commenting that he was "worried and disappointed" that the government had taken it upon itself to redefine marriage.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Britain’s most senior Catholic, also publically denounced the Governments plans to introduce same-sex marriage as “madness” and a “grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right.”
Over 473,000 people have now signed a petition seeking to protect marriage, whereas a parallel petition supporting same-sex marriage has attracted just over 50,000 signatures.
A previous poll by ComRes also reported that 57% of church-going Christians are ‘less likely to vote’ for the Conservative because of the Government’s plans, with 83% of stating that they were opposed to the introduction of same-sex marriages.
Not one single respondent claimed that this move would make them more disposed to vote Conservative.
Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said:
“This report highlights that the vast majority of the British public does not agree with the idea of same-sex marriages, and that Mr Cameron is hugely out of touch with his own MPs on this matter.
“We’re seeing the government come under increasing pressure on this issue, and so we need to continue to apply pressure through the political process, and particularly local councillors, MPs and cabinet ministers. Let’s continue to do this for the sake of marriage and the family in this nation.”
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