from the COALITION FOR MARRIAGE

 

 

THE BILL DOESN'T JUST REDEFINE MARRIAGE, IT WRECKS IT

Dear marriage supporter,

Last night, the same-sex marriage Bill was formally passed by the House of Commons at Third Reading, pushed through by the three main party leaders even though they had no mandate to do so.

However, a number of MPs came over to our side of the argument and voted against the Bill for the first time. It wasn't enough to stop the Bill at this stage, but we are gaining momentum.

The Bill now moves to the House of Lords where the Government faces a much tougher battle than in the Commons.

On 3 June the Lords will have an opportunity to vote down the whole Bill, but even if that doesn't succeed, there will be other opportunities to derail it later in the Lords.

The Bill now carries a commitment to review civil partnerships, potentially allowing heterosexual couples to choose a civil partnership rather than a marriage - a move which would cost the country at least £4bn.

So the Bill not only seeks to redefine marriage, it's now trying to wreck marriage by introducing an astronomically expensive two-tier system with the option of 'marriage-lite'.

We always said this Bill would unravel and cause marriage to be undermined. It's now beyond doubt. This Bill wrecks marriage.

The House of Lords, already alarmed by the undemocratic and shoddy way this Bill has been hustled through Parliament, will be even more angered at the way marriage is being tossed aside.

For all these reasons, there is a long way to go and there's still everything to play for. We will be fighting for marriage every step of the way.

Yours sincerely,

Colin Hart
Campaign Director
Coalition for Marriage

I whole heartedly agree with the views from the Coalition. The only hope now is that this dreadful piece of legislation will now be defeated in the House of Lords. I listen to some of the Debate on the Parliamentary Channel and some very forceful arguments against the Bill were expressed. A marriage is a sacrament which is beyond the scope of MP’s to change; they can change the civil arrangements – they cannot change God’s law.