British Tory MPs go to war over gay marriage

[Newsjock]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-mps-go-to-war-over-gay-marriage-6290679.html

Conservative MPs are trying to sabotage David Cameron's plan to legalise gay marriage, threatening a rebellion bigger than the one in which 81 voted against the Government on Europe.

A campaign to defeat the Coalition's plan to lift the ban on civil marriage for gay and lesbian couples is being organised by traditionalist Tory MPs, who claim the idea would weaken the institution of marriage. Ministers fear the revolt will undermine Mr Cameron's drive to modernise his party.

MPs have been promised a free vote, although ministers will be urged to support Mr Cameron. Opponents claim more than 100 Tory backbenchers could vote against gay marriage, dwarfing the number who voted for a Europe referendum last October. Backbenchers have protested to ministers about the Government's backing for the change at private meetings of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs. "Feelings are running high," one senior party source said yesterday.

... Announcing his backing for gay marriage, Mr Cameron told the Tory conference last October: "Yes, it's about equality, but it's also about something else: commitment. Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us; that society is stronger when we make vows to each other and support each other. So I don't support gay marriage despite being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I'm a Conservative."

[RKP5637]

1. Many straight people must have very shaky marriages that hang together

on threads. What are they afraid of, that a small minority of the population is going to take away their precarious marriages.

[Nye Bevan]

2. Wow. I wish Obama was as progressive as David Cameron on this issue (nt)

[DCKit]

3. I think Obama would be, if >60% of voters approved.

Right now, we're just over 50%. About the same as with the legalization of marijuana.

It's all politics and the fear of blowback. Cameron (Great Britain) is "safe" on the issue, so he loses nothing by supporting civil unions.

The vocal minority of bigots, homophobes and extreme wingers are the only thing holding any country back, but they're aging out and dying off - not nearly fast enough, but it's coming.

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. This isn't about civil unions

those are already legal, and polling shows that 78% of the British public support legal recognition of same-sex relationships in the form of civil partnership; change "civil union" to "marriage" and there are still 61% in favour.

This is about legal recognition of same-sex relationships as marriages. Which is a small but important difference, because words matter.

[msongs]

5. leadership failure at work lol. nt