Plan B Forum

The House of Commons has voted to allow gay marriage in England and Wales, despite 161 MPs opposing the government's plans.

Several Tory MPs spoke against the proposals, which have caused tensions in the party, but the Labour and Lib Dem leaderships backed them.

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill now goes before the House of Lords.

David Cameron hopes it will become law soon, with the first ceremonies taking place by next summer.

The bill, if passed, will allow same-sex couples, who can currently hold civil ceremonies, to marry.

Religious organisations would have to "opt in" to offering weddings, with the Church of England and Church in Wales being banned in law from doing so.

Welsh Secretary David Jones and Environment Secretary Owen Paterson voted against the government's bill at its third reading. They were joined by 10 junior ministers.

Religious organisations would have to "opt in" to offering weddings, with the Church of England and Church in Wales being banned in law from doing so.

Welsh madam wins Top Brothel trophies again

dgs49 wrote:The proper solution is to remove the power of religious ministers to perform civil marriages.

Marriage by the State and marriage by a Church are two separate institutions and should be treated as such.

It is none of the Church's business what relationships the state chooses to recognize, and vice versa.

Peers have voted by more than two to one to back government plans for same-sex marriages in England and Wales.

The House of Lords spent two days debating the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, with many members voicing their concerns.

But it rejected an amendment aimed at wrecking the bill by 242 votes, moving it a step closer to becoming law.

The BBC's Norman Smith said plans were on course for the first same-sex weddings to take place next summer.

The bill would allow couples, who can currently form civil partnerships, to marry.

If it passes into law, religious organisations would have to "opt in" if they wished to offer gay weddings, except the Church of England and Church in Wales, which would be banned in law from doing so.

The bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in England and Wales has passed its final hurdle in Parliament.

The government legislation is now due to get royal assent, after which it is likely to become law later this week.

The Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaderships all backed the bill, after the Lords approved the changes on Monday.

It is expected that the first gay and lesbian wedding ceremonies will take place by summer next year.

Under the terms of the the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, religious organisations will have to "opt in" to offering weddings, with the Church of England and Church in Wales being banned in law from doing so.

the Church of England and Church in Wales being banned in law from doing so.

The first same-sex weddings have taken place in New Zealand after the country became the first in the Asia-Pacific region and 14th in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.




Thirty-one same-sex couples had been due to marry on Monday, according to the Department of Internal Affairs.

It comes after New Zealand's parliament passed a bill in April amending the country's 1955 marriage act.

The move had faced opposition from Christian lobby groups.

Conservative lobby group Family First said changing the Marriage Act was "an arrogant act of cultural vandalism" which did not have a public mandate.

But the Campaign for Marriage Equality said it ended a historical injustice.

Among the first couples tying the knot were Auckland couple Tash Vitali and Melissa Ray, who won an all expenses paid ceremony in a radio competition.

"The world is still a dangerous and even deadly place for gay, bisexual and transgender people," Reverend Matt Tittle said, according to stuff.co.nz.

"We thank God that's not true in New Zealand.

"All love is holy."