Emsz, in one of the few times you’ll ever hear me say this, I completely applaud David Cameron’s stance on this. He knows it’s not a vote-winner; the gay vote** doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in most places, and the political capital he’s losing over this is significant. Clearly the guy has principles, so credit where credit’s due.
As for the MPs threatening to vote against this because it threatens marriage – really? I’m a man, married to a woman. I don’t feel that gay friends of mine would, if they got hitched, make me feel any less married. As it is, we talk about their weddings, we celebrate them as such, and have done for several years. De facto, they are weddings in the public perception – so the formalisation of this and the granting of equal status is not going to rock the world.
That said, I can see the point about the Church of England; if they feel it inappropriate that same-sex couples should marry in their premises. so be it. Obviously they’d be shown up as the reactionary old dodderers they are, but hey, it’s their religion and they can do what they like with it.
**Not that there’s a single gay block-vote anyway. And I know several gay Tories who hate Labour with a passion, and are working to change their party from within. I tell them they’re mad, obviously….they’ll never change the minds of those who hate them.
