Scottish politicians pushing for equal marriage
July 23rd, 2010 by Siobhan.McGuirk
A cross-party coalition are demanding legal change to allow gay couples full marriage rights in Scotland, with the backing of senior church officials.
Although civil partnerships, offering same-sex couples the same legal rights as marriage, have been legal since 2005, they cannot be held on religious premises or be termed ‘marriage’. The Equal Marriage Campaign is lobbying for the government to “lift the discriminatory ban”.
The Campaign is supported by the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party; individual Scottish National Pary and Labour Ministers; LGBT groups and religious figures keen for the freedom to choose to officiate at same-sex marriages.
Shirley Anne Somerville, SNP Minister of Scottish Parliament for the Lothians, said: “In my view, equal marriage legislation of this kind would enhance – rather than diminish – religious freedom, as well as equality.”
Speaking to the Herald newspaper, The Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, provost of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow, argued: “Anyone who can marry a couple currently should be able to marry same sex-couples. This is about justice for everyone. …the Government would be wise to move towards equality as soon as possible.”
Public opinion also appears to support the proposal. A Scottish Green Party poll conducted in April with 1,000 adults found 58 per cent thought same-sex couples should have the right to marry. Only 19 per cent disagreed.
Wow! That’s crazy…. we’ve only just got limited civil partnership in Ireland, and already in Scotland they’ve the sense to afford complete equality.
Soapie ∼ July 23rd, 2010 7:46 pm