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UK to commit to marriage equality

By on September 17, 2011

The UK government will today commit to marriage equality, with plans to legislate for same-sex marriages before the next general election.

A public consultation will take place in March next year on how to make civil marriages available to same-sex couples.

“I am delighted to confirm that early next year, this government will begin a formal consultation on equal civil marriage for same-sex couples,” Liberal Democrat equalities minister Lynne Featherstone said.

“This would allow us to make any legislative changes before the end of this Parliament.”

The Daily Mail‘s James Chapman reported that the government commitment on the issue came after a “personal intervention” from Prime Minister David Cameron.

It is believed the official announcement is likely to occur at a Liberal Democrat party conference Saturday (UK time).

Gay marriage is effectively legal in the UK under the label of ‘civil partnership’ and not ‘marriage’.

The new legislation proposed would secure marriage equality for all couples.

About Drew Sheldrick

7 Comments

  1. Dave

    September 17, 2011 at 8:28 am


    Shit Happens Abbott, get over it!

    You said the greatest gift a girl can give is her virginity, yours is leaving the Liberal party and public life.

    Liberal Greats like Fraser, Don Dunstan, and others, have made conrtibutions. Abbott is taking the Liberal Party to the boots of Adolf Hitler while Catholic Papal Knight Murdoch says “lick Tony, lick”.

    Conservatives in the Uk are certainly showing up Abbott as a far right extremist. At least they stand up to Murdoch while Abbott could not rim him enough before a shower.

  2. Jack

    September 17, 2011 at 9:34 am


    Dave, Don Dunstan was in the Labor Party, not the Liberals.

    A note above your post says you have written 171 posts on Star Online. I hope the others weren’t as poorly researched and intemperate as this one.

  3. Dave

    September 17, 2011 at 12:24 pm


    Thanks for correction Jack.

  4. Oliver

    September 17, 2011 at 2:58 pm


    A third thumb up from me jack! May I buy you a coffee?

  5. Paul

    September 17, 2011 at 11:14 pm


    Wow even the UK is ahead of us!

  6. Perkin Warbeck

    September 18, 2011 at 5:51 pm


    Ah, Jack – the hubris that comes with corrections. Dave isn’t the one who wrote 171 posts for
    the Star Observer but Drew Sheldrick.

  7. David Skidmore

    September 19, 2011 at 7:04 am


    This is excellent news. Australia will follow no doubt…once Saudi Arabia and Iran get same-sex marriage.

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