Family Solicitors Ipswich – The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill Debate Continues
“Some of you may recall us reporting in April 2013 on proposed changes to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, which plans to legalise same-sex marriages. Currently same-sex couples can register for a Civil Partnership which gives them similar rights and responsibilities towards each other to what married couples have. The Marriage Bill was approved by a 225 vote majority when it was last debated by MPs in February, but nearly half of all Conservative MPS voted against it and many party activists remain deeply opposed to it in principle. Yesterday a number of Conservative MPs tabled a further amendment to the Bill to allow heterosexual couples the right to register for a Civil Partnership, but this has now been rejected. The majority of MPs instead backed at a Labour plan to consult on civil partnership changes soon, rather than after five years as previously suggested. David Cameron has said that equal marriage would help build a stronger and fairer society, but it appears that this debate is long set to continue”.
Full details of the Bill and its various amendments can be found here.
Amanda Crowe is a family law solicitor at Barker Gotelee, solicitors in Suffolk
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