Watch David Burrowes at launch of Coalition for Marriage
Conservative MP for Enfield Southgate, David Burrowes, has faced harassment, abuse and even a death threat due to his support for a campaign to retain the legal definition of marriage as that between a man and a woman.
Mr Burrowes is a leading supporter of ‘The Coalition for Marriage’, a campaign launched on 20 February to stop the redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples.
He said: “My views are that the values of marriage should be between a man and a woman and that is something which is set out in statute hundreds of times – if you change the shape of marriage then you change its purpose and risk changing the meaning of it.
“I do not see the need for legislation to recognise gay marriage. I will vote against it. But it does not at all follow that I am anti-gay and homophobic.
“I don’t in any way challenge the fact that people will want to change the law and it’s important that this is a debate that is done with respect and we respect people’s views.”
Campaign against Mr Burrowes
As well as receiving abusive messages and a death threat, Mr Burrowes faces opposition from within his own party.
Phillip Dawson, the treasurer at Mr Burrowes’ Conservative association, has launched a campaign to challenge his position and also to condemn his involvement with Christian group CARE, urging him to “listen to the views” of his homosexual constituents.
Mr Dawson, who is himself homosexual, says that he is “intolerant” of “homophobia”. He needs only 50 signatures from local constituents to give rise to an emergency meeting about Mr Burrowes future as an MP.
“It is an option. No one should think an incumbent is there for good,” he said.
Consultation
Next month, Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone will publish a consultation on homosexual marriage, although the consultation will be asking ‘how’ such a measure will be introduced, rather than ‘whether’ it should be.
The Prime Minister’s plans do not appear to be favoured by Christians. A recent poll by ComRes found that 83% of church-going Christians in the UK are opposed to the plans to legalise homosexual marriage, and 57% of all respondents are ‘less likely to vote’ for the party because of this move.
Earlier this month, the Archbishop of York, Dr Sentamu, also received abusive and threatening emails after he told The Daily Telegraph that marriage was not for the “state to define” but must continue to be legally recognised as “a relationship between a man and a woman.”
Sources
Resources
Christian Concern: Religious Freedom