fbpx
Wikipedia

Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom

January 01, 1970

Same-sex marriage is legal in all parts of the United Kingdom. As marriage is a devolved legislative matter, different parts of the United Kingdom legalised at different times; it has been recognised and performed in England and Wales since March 2014, in Scotland since December 2014, and in Northern Ireland since January 2020. Civil partnerships, which offer most, but not all, of the rights and benefits of marriage, have been recognised since 2005. The United Kingdom was the 27th country in the world and the sixteenth in Europe to allow same-sex couples to marry nationwide.

Same-sex marriage is legal in eight of the fourteen British Overseas Territories. It has been recognised in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands since 2014, Akrotiri and Dhekelia and the British Indian Ocean Territory (for UK military personnel only) since 3 June 2014, the Pitcairn Islands since 14 May 2015, the British Antarctic Territory since 13 October 2016, Gibraltar since 15 December 2016, the Falkland Islands since 29 April 2017, and Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha since 20 December 2017.[a] Same-sex marriage was formerly legal in Bermuda from 2017 to 2022, where domestic partnerships have been available to same-sex couples since 1 June 2018. Civil partnerships were legalised in the Cayman Islands on 4 September 2020.

Same-sex marriage is legal in the Crown Dependencies. It has been recognised and performed in the Isle of Man since 22 July 2016, in Jersey since 1 July 2018, and in the Bailiwick of Guernsey at different times: in Guernsey since 2 May 2017, in Alderney since 14 June 2018, and in Sark since 23 April 2020.

History edit

 
Recognition of same-sex unions in the British Overseas Territories, the Crown Dependencies, and administrative territories
  Marriage
  Marriage for expat personnel and dependents only
  British sovereignty not recognised internationally
  Domestic partnerships
  Limited domestic recognition
  Unrecognised
A Isle of Man; B Guernsey; C Jersey; 1 United Kingdom; 2 Gibraltar; 3 Akrotiri and Dhekelia; 4 Bermuda; 5 Turks and Caicos Islands; 6 British Virgin Islands; 7 Anguilla; 8 Cayman Islands; 9 Montserrat; 10 Pitcairn Islands; 11 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; 12 British Indian Ocean Territory; 13 Falkland Islands; 14 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; (15) British Antarctic Territory

Legal history edit

In common law, a marriage between persons of the same sex was void ab initio. In 1680, Arabella Hunt married "James Howard"; in 1682 the marriage was annulled on the ground that Howard was in fact Amy Poulter, a 'perfect woman in all her parts', and two women could not validly marry.[7] On 30 March 1834, Anne Lister and Ann Walker were married at the Holy Trinity Church at Goodramgate in York, and thereafter considered themselves married, but without legal recognition. The church has been described as "an icon for what is interpreted as the site of the first lesbian marriage to be held in Britain", and the building now hosts a commemorative blue plaque.[8] The couple lived together at Shibden Hall until Lister's death in 1840. In 1866, in Hyde v Hyde and Woodmansee (a case of polygamy), Lord Penzance's judgment began: "Marriage as understood in Christendom is the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others."[9]

In Talbot (otherwise Poyntz) v Talbot in 1967, the prohibition was held to extend where one spouse was a post-operative transsexual, with Justice Roger Ormrod stating: "Marriage is a relationship which depends on sex, not on gender".[10][11] In 1971, the Nullity of Marriage Act was passed, explicitly banning marriages between same-sex couples in England and Wales.[12] The parliamentary debates on the 1971 act included discussion on the issue of transsexualism but not homosexuality.[13]

The 1971 act was later replaced by the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, which also declared that a marriage was void if the parties were not respectively male and female.[14] Prohibition of same-sex marriages was also included in the marriage legislation of Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Marriage Order (Northern Ireland) 2003 stated there was a legal impediment to marriage if the parties were of the same sex, but the Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 removed this provision. The Marriage Act (Scotland) 1977 had a similar legal impediment, but following the passage of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014, the act no longer prohibits marriages if both parties are of the same sex.[15][16]

On 17 July 2013, royal assent was granted to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013.[b] On 10 December 2013, Her Majesty's Government announced that the first same-sex marriages would take place from 29 March 2014.[17]

Civil partnerships edit

Main article: Civil partnership in the United Kingdom

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 came into effect in December 2005. It created civil partnerships, which gave same-sex couples who entered into them most of the rights and responsibilities of marriage.[18] These partnerships were called 'gay marriages' by some of the British media;[19] however, the government made clear that they were not marriages.[20][21] Before this, an informal London Partnership Register had been set up in 2001 by the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, but without any legal recognition.[22]

Since Section 9 of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 took effect, any couple registered in a civil partnership is granted the ability to convert that partnership into a marriage.

Wilkinson v Kitzinger and Others edit

Main article: Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson
Wilkinson v Kitzinger
 
CourtHigh Court of Justice
Family Division
Decided31 July 2006
Citation(s)[2006] EWHC 2022 (Fam)
[2006] H.R.L.R. 36
Court membership
Judge(s) sittingPotter P

On 26 August 2003, Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson, both British university professors, legally married in British Columbia, Canada. However, on their return their marriage was not recognised under British law. Under the subsequent Civil Partnership Act, it was converted into a civil partnership. The couple sued for recognition of their marriage, arguing that it was legal in the country in which it was executed and met the requirements for recognition of overseas marriages and should thus be treated in the same way as one between opposite-sex couples. They rejected the conversion of their marriage into a civil partnership believing it to be both practically and symbolically a lesser substitute. They were represented by civil rights group Liberty. The group's legal director James Welch said it was a matter of fairness and equality for the couple's marriage to be recognised and that they "shouldn't have to settle for the second-best option of a civil partnership".[23]

The High Court announced its judgement on 31 July 2006, ruling that their union would not be granted marriage status and would continue to be recognised in England and Wales as a civil partnership. The president of the Family Division, Sir Mark Potter, gave as his reason that "abiding single sex relationships are in no way inferior, nor does English Law suggest that they are by according them recognition under the name of civil partnership", and that marriage was an "age-old institution" which, he suggested, was by "longstanding definition and acceptance" a relationship between a man and a woman.[24][25] He agreed with the couple's claim that they were being discriminated against by the Civil Partnership Act 2004, but considered that "To the extent that by reason of that distinction it discriminates against same-sex partners, such discrimination has a legitimate aim, is reasonable and proportionate, and falls within the margin of appreciation accorded to Convention States."[26] Attorney General Peter Goldsmith, as second respondent, sought £25,000 in legal costs from the couple, which the High Court ordered them to pay.[27]

Wilkinson and Kitzinger said they were "deeply disappointed" with the judgement, not just for themselves, but for "lesbian and gay families across the nation".[25] They said that "denying our marriage does nothing to protect heterosexual marriage, it simply upholds discrimination and inequality" and also said that the ruling insulted LGBT people and treats their relationships as inferior to heterosexual ones; not worthy of marriage but only of an "expressly different, and entirely separate institution".[28][29] They said, however, that they believed the judgement "won't stand the test of time" and that they looked forward to the day when "there is full equality in marriage".[24] They had originally announced their intention to appeal the decision but later abandoned it due to lack of funds.[30]

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said that the establishment's aggressive opposition to same-sex marriage and the successful demand of £25,000 from the couple damaged the government's "gay-friendly credentials". He also claimed that the demand in legal costs was designed to damage the couple financially so they would not be able to appeal.[27] He said he was "angry but not downcast" about the ruling and that this was only a temporary setback in the "long struggle for marriage equality".[31]

Debate edit

Campaign groups edit

Equal Marriage, a campaign for same-sex marriage in Scotland, was established by the Equality Network in 2008, with a focus on securing same-sex marriage and different-sex civil partnerships in Scotland.[32] In England and Wales, the first major campaign for same-sex marriage was Equal Love established by Peter Tatchell in 2010. The first major campaign against same-sex marriage in Britain was Scotland for Marriage established in 2011, followed by the Coalition for Marriage in England and Wales in 2012. Subsequent campaigns for and against same-sex marriage have been established by a wide variety of organisations, including the Coalition for Equal Marriage and Out4Marriage, both established in England in 2012. In Northern Ireland, a campaign for full same-sex marriage was established by LGBT rights activist and political campaigner Gary Spedding in June 2012 with the specific goal of challenging social attitudes whilst lobbying the Northern Ireland Assembly to enact legislation to permit same-sex marriages.

Political parties edit

Conservative Party: During the run-up to the 2010 general election, the then Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, said that a Conservative government would be happy to "consider the case" for ending the ban on same-sex marriage,[33][34] although he was criticised for not making any specific promises.[35] On 4 May 2010, the party published a "Contract for Equalities" which said it would 'consider' recognising civil partnerships as marriages if elected.[36]

Labour Party: In April 2010, Labour Minister for Equality Harriet Harman when asked about same-sex marriage said the issue was a "developing area" and that the government still had a "long way to go" with gay rights.[37] Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the government did not allow same-sex marriage because it was "intimately bound up with questions of religious freedom".[38] During the 2010 Labour leadership election campaign, each of the Labour candidates expressed their support for reform to lead to the recognition of same-sex marriage. Following Ed Miliband's victory, it became Labour party policy, with the party welcoming Her Majesty's Government's consultation and calling for legislation to be brought forth as soon as possible.[39]

Liberal Democrats: Leader Nick Clegg stated in 2009 that his party backed legalisation.[40][41] On 4 July 2009, in an article for LabourList, Clegg wrote that "although civil partnerships have been a step forward, until same-sex marriage is permitted it is impossible to claim gay and straight couples are treated equally."[42] Following this, the party's LGBT rights group LGBT+ Liberal Democrats launched the petition "Marriage Without Borders" calling for all gender restrictions on marriage and civil partnerships to be lifted, and for same-sex relationships to be recognised across Europe and internationally. The petition was run at Manchester Pride and Reading Pride in 2009, and launched online in January 2010,[43] following an interview with Clegg in Attitude magazine in which he reaffirmed his commitment to same-sex marriage.[44][45] However, this did not make it into the party's manifesto.[46] In an interview in July 2010, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes confirmed that the coalition government was planning to open marriage to same-sex couples, saying, "It would be appropriate in Britain in 2010, 2011, for there to be the ability for civil marriage for straight people and gay people equally... The state ought to give equality. We're halfway there. I think we ought to be able to get there in this parliament".[47] In September 2010, the Liberal Democrats voted at their Autumn Federal Conference to make same-sex marriage a party policy at the Westminster level.[48] The Scottish Liberal Democrats had already approved a motion at their 2010 spring conference calling on the Scottish Government to allow same-sex couples to marry, describing the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage as a "discrimination that needs to end".[49]

Green Party of England and Wales: On 22 May 2009, the Green Party called for an end to the ban on civil marriages between same-sex couples in Britain and in other EU member states. Party leader Caroline Lucas said the party wants marriage for same-sex couples and that married same-sex couples who travel throughout Europe should be able to have their relationship recognised on the same basis as married heterosexual couples. Peter Tatchell, who was the party's candidate for Oxford East at the time, said there is a "confusing patchwork" of different partnership laws throughout Europe and that "for a majority of lesbian and gay couples their legal rights stop at their own borders". He said, the "best and most universally recognised system of partnership" is civil marriage and, "anything less is second class and discrimination".[50]

Religious bodies edit

At their Yearly Meeting in 2009, the Quakers decided to recognise opposite-sex and same-sex marriages equally and perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples, making them the first mainstream religious body in the United Kingdom to do so. Under the law at that time, registrars were not allowed to legally officiate at a marriage between same-sex couples but the Quakers stated that the law did not preclude them from "playing a central role in the celebration and recording of same-sex marriages" and asked the government to change the law so that these marriages would be recognised.[51][52] In a joint press release in 2012, the Quakers, Liberal Jews, and Unitarians gave their endorsement to the same-sex marriage consultation.[53]

The largest Christian denominations have been wholly opposed to the legislation to recognise and perform same-sex marriages. The leaders of the Catholic Church in England and Wales have been vocal in opposition, urging both parishioners and schools within its care to sign a petition against the government plans, as did the Catholic Church in Scotland.[54][55] The leaders of the Church of England were concerned that the legalisation regarding same-sex marriage would undermine the Church's position as the state religion of England.[56] The Methodist Church of Great Britain, in responding to the government consultation on same-sex marriage, acknowledged in 2012 that many Methodist churches had, over the previous 20 years, affirmed and celebrated the participation of gay men and lesbians in a union, but noted that the Methodist Church would not use the word "marriage" with reference to same-sex unions.[57] However, in June 2021 the Methodist Church's conference voted to allow same-sex marriages to be solemnised in their places of worship.[58]

In 2012, the Muslim Council of Britain launched a campaign against same-sex marriage.[59] The Chief Rabbi, Baron Sacks, and the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue also came out in opposition to the plans, stating that same-sex marriage is "against Jewish law".[60]

Public opinion edit

 
Laws regarding same-sex partnerships in Europe¹
  Marriage
  Civil union
  Limited domestic recognition (cohabitation)
  Limited foreign recognition (residency rights)
  Unrecognized
  Constitution limits marriage to opposite-sex couples
¹ May include recent laws or court decisions that have not yet entered into effect.

Opinion polls have shown general support for same-sex marriage among Britons. Attitudes towards homosexuality amongst the British public have become more supportive (or at least tolerant) over time; according to the British Social Attitudes Survey, in 1983 approximately 50% to 70% of respondents of the three major political parties (Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat) regarded homosexuality as "always wrong" or "mostly wrong" and in 1993 opposition to homosexuality was reported to have slightly increased amongst all parties. However, by 2003 attitudes had become more tolerant, with 25% to 50% of respondents regarding homosexuality as always or mostly wrong and by 2013, only around 20% to 35% of respondents in each party felt the same way. Liberal Democrat respondents tended to be less likely to regard homosexuality as wrong than Labour or Conservative respondents across each survey.[61]

A 2004 poll by Gallup reported that 52% of respondents agreed that 'marriages between homosexuals' should be recognised, while 45% said they should not. The poll also found that 65% supported allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.[62] A 2006 Eurobarometer survey reported that 46% of British people agreed that same-sex marriages should be allowed throughout Europe, slightly higher than the European Union average of 44%.[63] A poll conducted in September 2008 by ICM Research for The Observer found that 55% of Britons believed that same-sex couples should be allowed to get married, with 45% against.[64][65]

An opinion poll conducted in June 2009 by Populus for The Times reported that 61% of the British public agreed with the statement "Gay couples should have an equal right to get married, not just to have civil partnerships", while 33% disagreed. Support was highest among those aged between 25 and 34, where 78% agreed and 19% disagreed. It was lowest amongst those over 65 where 37% agreed and 52% disagreed. A majority of both men and women agreed, but support was higher among women (67%) than men (55%). In terms of voting intention, 73% of Liberal Democrats, 64% of Labour voters and 53% of Conservatives agreed that same-sex couples should have the right to marry.[66][67]

A poll conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion in July 2010 showed that 78% of British people supported either same-sex marriage or civil partnerships for same-sex couples, with 41% opting for same-sex marriage and 37% opting for civil partnerships. Support for no legal unions for same-sex couples decreased by 3% from August 2009.[68]

According to the 2010 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, 61% of Scottish people supported same-sex marriage, while 19% did not, and 18% neither agreed nor disagreed. In a similar poll in 2002, 42% of Scotland's population supported same-sex marriage. In 2006, 53% of Scots backed same-sex marriage.[69]

In July 2011, a representative survey conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion showed that 43% of Britons believed same-sex couples should be legally allowed to marry, 34% thought same-sex couples should only be allowed to form civil partnerships, and 15% would grant no legal recognition to same-sex couples.[70]

A poll published by YouGov in March 2012 showed that 43% of British people supported same-sex marriage, while 32% supported civil partnerships, and 16% were opposed to any legal recognition of same-sex relationships. Support was particularly high amongst women, young people, people in Scotland and Liberal Democrat voters. Support was lower among the working class, older people, Conservative voters, and men in general. In the same poll, 62% expressed a belief that homosexual relationships had the same value as heterosexual ones, but 47% of people supported the right of the Church of England to defend different-sex marriage and 37% disagreed. A June 2012 YouGov survey indicated increasing support for LGBT rights among the British people. The report found that 71% were in favour of same-sex marriage.[71] Two YouGov polls in December 2012 found that 55% of the population were in favour of introducing same-sex marriage.[72]

Another poll in May 2013 confirmed public support for the same-sex marriage bill, with 53% in favour.[73] A second poll in May showed a similar level of support (54%), and also found that 58% of those who considered same-sex marriage an important election issue would be more likely to vote for a party that supported it.[74] A May 2013 Ipsos poll found that 55% of respondents were in favour of same-sex marriage.[75]

A poll by BBC Radio in March 2014 found that 68% of respondents supported same-sex marriage and 26% opposed it. The research also found that young people were more likely to support same-sex marriage, with 80% support from 18–34-year-olds, compared with 44% of over-65s. 75% of women were in favour, compared to 61% of men.[76]

A face-to-face survey conducted in 2015 by ICM Research for Channel 4 found that 16% of British Muslims agreed with the statement that same-sex marriage should be legal in Britain, with 56% disagreeing. The survey also found that only 18% thought homosexuality should be legal in Britain, with 52% disagreeing.[77][78] The 2015 Eurobarometer found that 71% of Britons thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, while 24% were opposed.[79]

 
Support for same-sex marriage among 18–21-year-olds according to a 2016 survey from the Varkey Foundation

A September–October 2016 survey by the Varkey Foundation found that 77% of 18–21-year-olds supported same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom.[80]

According to an Ipsos poll published in April 2018, 73% of the British public supported same-sex marriage, while 8% believed it should be banned. A further 13% personally disapproved of it, but did not wish to have it banned again. Additionally, the same poll found that 66% would approve of a royal same-sex wedding.[81] A Pew Research Center poll, conducted between April and August 2017 and published in May 2018, showed that 77% of Britons supported same-sex marriage, 20% were opposed and 3% did not know or refused to answer.[82] When divided by religion, 83% of non-practising Christians, 82% of religiously unaffiliated people and 63% of church-attending Christians supported same-sex marriage.[83] Opposition was 13% among 18–34-year-olds.[84]

A June 2018 YouGov opinion poll found that 80% of British people supported the introduction of same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland, with 66% of Northern Irish respondents in favour. 70% of Conservative voters, 89% of Labour voters and 90% of Liberal Democrat voters were in favour of its introduction. Among "Remain" voters, 90% supported same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland, whereas "Leave" voters supported it at 68% (this was at a time when in the aftermath of the 2016 EU referendum the issue of Brexit dominated British politics).[85]

The 2019 Eurobarometer found that 85% of Britons thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, while 12% were opposed.[86] A YouGov poll conducted in September 2022 showed that 76% of Britons supported same-sex marriage, 13% were opposed and 10% did not know. More specifically, 52% strongly supported, while 24% "tend[ed] to support" same-sex marriage. Conversely, 7% "tend[ed] to oppose", while 6% strongly opposed same-sex marriage.[87] A Pew Research Center poll conducted between February and May 2023 showed that 74% of Britons supported same-sex marriage, 22% were opposed and 4% did not know or refused to answer. When divided by political affiliation, support was highest among those on the left and the centre of the political spectrum at 81%, followed by those on the right at 65%.[88] A June 2023 YouGov poll showed that 78% of Britons supported same-sex marriage.[89]

England and Wales edit

Main article: Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013
 
A same-sex wedding in the United Kingdom, 2015
 
A lesbian couple on their wedding day in Leeds, 2017

On 17 September 2011, at the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference, Lynne Featherstone announced that Her Majesty's Government would launch a consultation in March 2012 on how to implement equal civil marriage for same-sex couples with the intention of any legislative changes being made by the next general election.[90] The Prime Minister's Office let it be known that David Cameron had personally intervened in favour of legalising same-sex unions, and on 5 October 2011 the Conservative Party Conference applauded Cameron's support for same-sex marriage in his Leader's Speech.[91]

On 12 March 2012, the Government of the United Kingdom launched the public consultation on equal civil marriage in England and Wales. The government proposals were:

  • to enable same-sex couples to have a civil marriage i.e., only civil ceremonies in a register office or approved premises (like a hotel);
  • to make no changes to religious marriages. This would continue only to be legally possible between a man and a woman;
  • to retain civil partnerships for same-sex couples and allow couples already in a civil partnership to convert this into a marriage;
  • to continue to permit civil partnership registrations on religious premises as is possible, i.e., on a voluntary basis for faith groups and with no religious content; and
  • to allow individuals to be able legally to change their gender without having to end their marriage.

Several political and media organisations expressed their support for same-sex marriage legislation in England and Wales, including the Green Party of England and Wales,[92] the Liberal Democrats,[93] the Labour Party,[39] and Plaid Cymru,[94] as well as The Times,[95] The Guardian,[96] and The Independent, which launched a campaign called "Equal Partners".[97] On 16 January 2013, the Coalition for Equal Marriage announced that it had evidence of the support of a majority of MPs in the House of Commons.[98] The following political parties expressed their opposition to same-sex marriage legislation in England and Wales: the British National Party, which opposes same-sex marriage and civil partnerships,[99] and the UK Independence Party.[100]

The Conservative Party, the Scottish National Party and Sinn Féin had no official position or a position of neutrality on either the issue or the legislation as it applied to England and Wales. Senior Conservatives, including David Cameron, William Hague, George Osborne and Theresa May, supported the bill,[101][102] however, the issue was contentious in the party. Just over half of Conservative MPs voted against in second reading,[103] but polling showed that the majority of Conservative voters supported the bill.[104] The Scottish National Party do not vote on English and Welsh matters, and therefore did not take part in the second reading vote, although the SNP-led Scottish Government introduced a bill to allow same-sex marriage in Scotland.[103] Sinn Féin are abstentionist and therefore do not take their seats or vote in the House of Commons. In 2012, the first Northern Ireland Assembly motion proposed by Sinn Féin and the Green Party of Northern Ireland calling for same-sex marriage was defeated by the Democratic Unionist Party.[105]

On 11 December 2012, the government released its response to the consultation. Of the 228,000 responses to the consultation, via the online form, email or correspondence, 53 percent agreed that all couples, regardless of their gender should be able to have a civil marriage ceremony, 46 percent disagreed, and one percent were unsure or did not answer the question.[106] The government also confirmed that it separately received nineteen petitions from faith groups and organisations such as the Coalition for Marriage, with over 500,000 signatures opposing same-sex marriage.[106]

Legislation edit

 
Map of MPs by their vote on the second reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, 5 February 2013.[107]
  Labour/Liberal Democrat/Green/Respect/Plaid Cymru/SDLP/Alliance votes for: 270
  Conservative votes for: 127
  Conservative votes for both[c]: 5
  Conservative/Democratic Unionist/Independent Unionist votes against: 146
  Labour/Liberal Democrat votes against: 26
  Did not vote: 74
  Seat vacant: 2

On 11 December 2012, the Minister for Women and Equalities, Secretary of State Maria Miller announced that the government would bring forward same-sex marriage legislation for England and Wales in early 2013.[106][109] In response to the consultation results, the proposals were extended to allow religious organisations to opt into performing same-sex marriages if they wish,[106] and a 'quadruple-lock' of additional measures to put the protection of religious freedoms "utterly beyond doubt".[106] These are:

  • ensuring the legislation states explicitly that no religious organisation, or individual minister, can be compelled to marry same-sex couples or to permit this to happen on their premises;
  • providing an 'opt-in' system for religious organisations who wish to conduct marriages for same-sex couples, which also allows individual ministers to continue to refuse to perform same-sex marriage even when their religious organisation opts in;
  • amending the Equality Act 2010 to reflect that no discrimination claims can be brought against religious organisations or individual ministers for refusing to marry a same-sex couple or allowing their premises to be used for this purpose; and
  • ensuring that the legislation will not affect the canon law of the Church of England or the Church in Wales, i.e., unless canon law and the same-sex marriage legislation are changed in future, both churches will be legally barred from performing same-sex marriages.[106]

The UK Government addressed consultation responses about the possibility that the European Court of Human Rights could force all churches to marry same-sex couples, stating:[106]

Both the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the rights enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights put the protection of religious belief in this matter beyond doubt. We will draft the legislation to ensure that there is a negligible chance of a successful legal challenge in any domestic court, or the ECtHR that would force any religious organisation to conduct marriages for same-sex couples against their will. Any possible claims would be brought against the Government, rather than an organisation to ensure religious organisations would not have to use their resources to fight any legal challenges.

On 24 January 2013, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill was introduced to the Commons by Maria Miller, and a full debate occurred at the second reading on 5 February.[110][111] The bill retained some distinctions from marriage between a man and a woman; e.g. in divorce proceedings, adultery can only involve sexual conduct between two persons of the opposite sex, while non-consummation will not be grounds for annulment of a same-sex marriage.[112] On 5 February 2013, the bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons by 400 votes to 175.[113]

 
Members of the London Gay Men's Chorus outside the House of Lords celebrating the passage at third reading of the same-sex marriage legislation, 15 July 2013

The bill was examined in 13 sittings by the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill Committee, a public bill committee established to scrutinise the bill line by line. The bill completed its committee stage on 12 March 2013 and had its report stage in the House of Commons on 20–21 May 2013.[111][114][115] The third reading took place on 21 May, and was approved by 366 votes to 161,[116] with the bill receiving its first reading in the House of Lords the same evening.[117] The bill had its second reading unopposed in the Lords on 4 June, after a "wrecking amendment" proposed by Lord Dear was defeated by a vote of 390–148, thus allowing the bill to proceed to the committee stage.[118] The bill passed its third reading in the House of Lords on 15 July 2013,[119] and the Commons accepted all of the Lords' amendments on the following day, with royal assent by Queen Elizabeth II granted on 17 July 2013.[120]

On 10 December 2013, Miller announced that same-sex marriage ceremonies would begin on 29 March 2014 in England and Wales.[121] Couples wishing to be among the first to marry were required to give formal notice of their intention by 13 March 2014.[17] As of 13 March 2014, couples who have entered into same-sex marriages overseas are recognised as married in England and Wales.[122] The parts of the law that allow civil partnerships to be converted into marriages, and allow married people to change their legal gender while remaining married, took effect on 10 December 2014.[123] Same-sex marriages in England and Wales began at midnight on 29 March 2014.[1]

Scotland edit

Main articles: Same-sex marriage in Scotland and Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014
Further information: LGBT rights in Scotland

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Scotland since 16 December 2014, with the first same-sex marriages occurring on 31 December 2014.[124][125] The law provides that religious organisations and individual celebrants are under no obligation to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples, though religious organisations are permitted to authorise their clergy to do so.

On 25 July 2012, the Scottish Government announced that it would legalise same-sex marriage.[126] The move was announced despite opposition by the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church in Scotland. Although Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the move as the "right thing to do", she reassured churches that they would not be forced to perform same-sex marriages.[127] During the consultation phase, ministers received over 19,000 messages from constituents about the issue.[128]

 
Wikinews has related news:
  • Scottish legislature gives green light to same-sex marriage

On 27 June 2013, the Scottish Government introduced same-sex marriage legislation to the Scottish Parliament.[129][130] On 4 February 2014, the Scottish Parliament held its final reading on the bill to permit same-sex marriages. The bill passed by a vote of 108–15 and received royal assent on 12 March 2014.[131] The legislation allows religious and faith organisations to be exempted from having to conduct or be involved in same-sex marriages if it contravenes their beliefs.[132] The first same-sex weddings occurred on 31 December 2014, though civil partnerships could be exchanged for marriage certificates from 16 December so the very first same-sex marriages under Scottish law were recognised that day.[133]

Northern Ireland edit

Main article: Same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland
See also: LGBT rights in Northern Ireland

Same-sex marriage became legal in Northern Ireland on 13 January 2020. In previous years, the Northern Ireland Assembly had voted on the issue on five occasions, winning a majority for same-sex marriage once. Previously, same-sex marriages performed in England, Wales and Scotland were recognised as civil partnerships in Northern Ireland.[134][135]

History edit

Legislation to allow for the recognition of same-sex marriages in Northern Ireland has been debated in the Assembly five times since 2012. On four of those occasions, only a minority of assembly members voted in favour of same-sex marriage, though the most recent vote on the issue in November 2015 saw a majority of MLAs vote in favour of same-sex marriage.[136]

On 27 April 2015, the Northern Ireland Assembly voted for the fourth time on the recognition of same-sex marriage. The motion for recognition was introduced by Sinn Féin and was defeated by a majority of 49 votes to 47; all Democratic Unionist (DUP) members in the Assembly voted against it, while all Sinn Féin, Green Party and NI21 members voted for it.[137][138] On 2 November 2015, 105 MLAs voted on a motion to recognise same-sex marriage, with 53 voting in favour and 52 voting against, the first time same-sex marriage had received majority support in the Assembly. However, the Democratic Unionist Party tabled a petition of concern, preventing the motion from having any legal effect.[136][139]

Sinn Féin said that legislation regarding same-sex marriage would be a priority for the party in the Assembly elected in May 2016.[140] On 23 June 2016, Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir announced he had requested that officials in the Northern Ireland Executive begin drafting legislation to allow same-sex marriage, stating that MLAs would much rather vote on the issue than "be forced to legislate [following] an adverse judgment" in the courts.[141] In October 2016, First Minister Arlene Foster reaffirmed the DUP's opposition to same-sex marriage, saying the party would continue to issue a petition of concern blocking same-sex marriage in the Assembly over the next five years.[142] The DUP won fewer than 30 seats at the March 2017 elections, meaning it lost the right to unilaterally block a bill using a petition of concern.[143] Karen Bradley, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, stated in February 2018 that same-sex marriage could be legislated for in Northern Ireland by the UK Parliament, and that the government would likely allow a conscience vote for its MPs if such legislation was introduced.[144] Labour MP Conor McGinn said he would introduce a private member's bill extending same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland by the end of March 2018.[145]

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 28 March 2018, and passed its first reading.[146][147] The bill's second reading in the Commons was blocked by a Conservative MP on three occasions in 2018.[148][149] An identical bill was introduced to the House of Lords on 27 March by Baron Hayward, and passed its first reading that day.[150] As both bills were private member's bills without government support, they failed to progress any further. In February 2019, Lord Hayward withdrew an amendment to an unrelated government bill, which if passed would have extended same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland, on opposition from government Lords.[151]

On 1 November 2018, royal assent was granted to the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018, which contains sections describing Northern Ireland's same-sex marriage and abortion bans as human rights violations. The law did not legalise same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland, but directed the British Government to "issue guidance" to civil servants in Northern Ireland "in relation to the incompatibility of human rights with [the region's laws on the two issues]". The law passed 207–117 in the House of Commons.[152][153]

2019 legalisation by Westminster edit

Main article: Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019
 
Map of MPs by their vote on the amendment extending same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland.[154]
  Labour/Liberal Democrat/Scottish National/Change UK/Plaid Cymru/Green/Independent votes for: 278 (+2 tellers)
  Conservative votes for: 105
  Conservative/Democratic Unionist votes against: 73 (+2 tellers)
  Absent/Abstentionist (Sinn Féin) votes: 190
  Seat vacant: 1

In July 2019, McGinn announced his intention to attach an amendment to an upcoming administrative bill relating to Northern Ireland, which would legalise same-sex marriage three months after passage of the bill if the Northern Ireland Assembly remained suspended. Under the terms of the originally-drafted amendment, the region's executive could approve or repeal the measure upon resumption.[155] The amendment passed in the House of Commons with 383 votes in favour and 73 votes against.[156][157] McGinn's amendment, which was further amended by Lord Hayward during passage in the House of Lords, required the Secretary of State to issue regulations extending same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland if the Assembly had not reconvened by 21 October 2019. If this occurred, then the regulations would come into effect on 13 January 2020.[158] The bill passed its final stages in the Parliament and received royal assent on 24 July 2019, becoming the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019.[159][160]

On 21 October 2019, 31 unionist MLAs signed a petition to reconvene the Northern Ireland Assembly to pass legislation to keep abortion illegal. The sitting was boycotted by Sinn Féin, the Alliance Party, the Green Party, and People Before Profit, and as a result the speaker, Robin Newton, ruled that the Assembly could not conduct business after an election unless a speaker could be elected on a cross-community vote. The sitting was therefore abandoned, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Julian Smith, stated in the House of Commons that the British Government would issue the regulations as obliged.[161] The regulations came into effect on 13 January 2020,[5][162] and the first legal same-sex wedding ceremony in Northern Ireland took place on 11 February 2020 between Robyn Peoples and Sharni Edwards-Peoples in Belfast.[6][163]

Court challenges edit

Two legal challenges to Northern Ireland's same-sex marriage ban were heard in the High Court in November and December 2015.[164] Two couples, Grainne Close and Shannon Sickles and Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kanem, brought the case claiming that Northern Ireland's prohibition on same-sex marriage breached their human rights. The case was heard simultaneously with a case brought in January 2015 in which two men who wed in England sought to have their marriage recognised in Northern Ireland.[164] A ruling was handed down in August 2017; Judge John Ailbe O'Hara found against the couples and determined that there were no grounds under case law from the European Court of Human Rights that the couples' rights were violated by Northern Ireland's refusal to recognise their union as a marriage. One of the couples involved in the litigation (who were granted anonymity) said they would appeal the ruling.[165][166] The appeal was heard by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal on 16 March 2018; a ruling had been expected some time in 2019.[167] On 7 April 2020, the Court of Appeal in Belfast ruled that same-sex couples faced unjustified discrimination while denied the opportunity to marry in Northern Ireland. But with changes to the law meaning same-sex weddings can take place in Northern Ireland since 11 February 2020, senior judges decided not to make a formal declaration on any human rights breach.[168][169][170]

Public opinion edit

A September 2014 LucidTalk poll for the Belfast Telegraph showed that 40.1% of the population supported same-sex marriage, while 39.4% opposed and 20.5% either had or stated no opinion. Of those that gave an opinion, 50.5% supported and 49.5% opposed same-sex marriage.[171] A poll in May 2015 found that 68% of the population supported same-sex marriage, with support rising to 75% in Belfast.[172] A "mass rally", organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Amnesty International, and the Rainbow Project took place in Belfast on 13 June 2015,[173] with a 20,000 person turnout.[174] A June 2016 poll placed support for same-sex marriage at 70%, while those opposing it at 22%.[175]

An April 2018 poll put support for same-sex marriage among Northern Ireland's population at 76%, while 18% were opposed.[176]

Marriage statistics edit

 
The first same-sex wedding in Islington, Greater London, 29 March 2014

1,409 same-sex marriages were performed between 29 March and 30 June 2014, with lesbian couples accounting for 56% of these marriages.[177] By October 2015, approximately 15,000 same-sex marriages had been performed in England and Wales. Of these, 7,366 were new marriages, while 7,732 were conversions from civil partnerships. 55% of these marriages were between female couples and 45% were between male couples.[178] During that same time period, the number of couples opting for civil partnerships fell significantly. In Cheshire for example, around 70 civil partnerships were recorded each year, but in 2015 only 4 partnerships were performed in the county.[179]

462 same-sex marriages were performed in Scotland in the first five months of legalisation, accounting for 12% of all marriages performed during that time.[180] Statistics published by the National Records of Scotland showed that 1,671 same-sex marriages took place in Scotland in 2015. Of these, 935 were conversions from civil partnerships and 736 were new marriages.[181]

The first same-sex marriage for a member of the British royal family occurred on 22 September 2018 when Lord Ivar Mountbatten married his partner James Coyle at his private estate in Uffculme. Mountbatten is through his father, David Mountbatten, the great-great-great grandson of Queen Victoria, and a first cousin, once removed of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His ex-wife Penny Mountbatten walked him down the aisle.[182]

The following table shows the number of same-sex marriages performed in England and Wales since March 2014 according to the Office for National Statistics. The overwhelming majority of same-sex marriages are performed in civil ceremonies; there were 23 religious same-sex marriages in 2014, 44 in 2015, 61 in 2016, 43 in 2017 and 63 in 2018. In 2018, the average age of marriage for same-sex partners was 40.4 years for men and 36.9 years for women. Figures for 2020 are lower than previous years because of restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marriages in England and Wales
Year Same-sex marriages Conversions from
partnerships 		Opposite-sex marriages Total marriages
Female Male Total
2014[183] 2,721 2,129 4,850 2,411 247,372 252,222
2015[184] 3,633 2,860 6,493 9,156 239,020 245,513
2016[185] 3,910 3,109 7,019 1,663 242,774 249,793
2017[186] 3,884 3,048 6,932 1,072 235,910 242,842
2018[187] 3,959 2,966 6,925 803 227,870 234,795
2019[188] 3,861 2,867 6,728 578 213,122 219,850
2020[189] 1,609 1,202 2,811 238 89,959 85,770

The 2021 United Kingdom census showed that there were 133,618 people in same-sex civil partnerships and 268,522 married same-sex spouses in England and Wales, with Brighton and Hove having the highest proportion of same-sex marriages of any city in England and Wales.[190]

Religious performance edit

Most major religious organisations in the United Kingdom do not perform same-sex marriages in their places of worship. Some smaller Christian denominations such as the Dutch Church in London,[191] Quakers and Unitarians perform same-sex marriages. In addition, Liberal Judaism and the Movement for Reform Judaism perform same-sex marriages, and campaigned in favour of legislation.[192] Pagans also perform same-sex marriages.[193]

In May 2016, the Oasis Church Waterloo in London applied for a licence that would allow it to conduct same-sex marriages. Pastor Steve Chalke said "Oasis Church in Waterloo has reached the decision. It's taken us some time to reach it, that this is something we want to do".[194]

In June 2016, the Scottish Episcopal Church became the first British province in the Anglican Communion to take steps to allow same-sex marriages to be performed in their churches. The General Synod voted in favour of a motion to begin discussion amongst the seven dioceses to remove the doctrinal clause which stated that marriage was "between a man and a woman". The vote received support from five of seven bishops, 69% of the clergy and 80% of the laity.[195] The General Synod formally approved the change to the doctrinal clause in June 2017, removing language stating that marriages could only be "between a man and a woman" and introducing a new conscience clause which allows clergy to opt out of performing same-sex weddings.[196] On 20 July 2017, it was announced that a same-sex wedding was to be held at St Mary's Cathedral in Glasgow later in the summer.[197] On 1 August 2017, a same-sex marriage, which included the Eucharist as a nuptial mass, was held at the Church of St John the Evangelist in Edinburgh. The Scottish Episcopal Church is estimated to have 100,000 members, and offers same-sex marriage to other Anglicans, including members of churches in England and the United States.[198][199]

In July 2016, the United Reformed Church voted overwhelmingly to allow its churches to perform same-sex marriages. The Church, with 60,000 members and 1,400 congregations, became the largest Christian denomination in the United Kingdom to offer same-sex marriages at that time.[200] In June 2021 the Methodist Church of Great Britain voted to permit same-sex marriage in their places of worship. The Methodist Conference voted 254 to 46 in favour of the move. A freedom of conscience clause allows ministers with objections to opt out of performing same-sex weddings. With about 164,000 members and 4,000 churches, the Methodist Church became the largest Christian denomination in the country to permit same-sex marriages at that time.[58][201] Among the first couples to wed were Jason and Ben McMahon-Riley who married at the Fulwood Methodist Church in Preston, Lancashire on 17 June 2021.[202]

The Catholic Church opposes same-sex marriage and does not allow its priests to officiate at such marriages. In December 2023, the Holy See published Fiducia supplicans, a declaration allowing Catholic priests to bless couples who are not considered to be married according to church teaching, including the blessing of same-sex couples.[203] The British Confraternity of Catholic Clergy released a statement on 21 December that the blessings outlined in Fiducia supplicans are "theologically, pastorally and practically inadmissible".[204]

Church of England edit

In January 2023, bishops of the Church of England refused to support a change to permit same-sex couples to marry in its churches. However, the bishops supported a "prayers of dedication, thanksgiving or for God's blessing" for same-sex couples following a civil marriage or partnership.[205] The General Synod of the Church of England voted 250–181 to support the move in early February. Archbishops Justin Welby and Stephen Cottrell said, "It has been a long road to get us to this point. For the first time, the [Church of England] will publicly, unreservedly and joyfully welcome same-sex couples in church. The church continues to have deep differences on these questions which go to the heart of our human identity. As archbishops, we are committed to respecting the conscience of those for whom this goes too far and to ensure that they have all the reassurances they need in order to maintain the unity of the church as this conversation continues."[206] Religious same-sex marriage ceremonies in the Church of England are supported by some clergy, including the Bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft,[207] and the Bishop of Reading, Olivia Graham.[208]

In March 2023, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw introduced a bill to Parliament to "allow, in certain circumstances, priests and parishes [of the Church of England] that wish to conduct same-sex weddings to do so".[209] A 2023 survey conducted by The Times showed that 53% of priests in the Church of England supported religious same-sex marriage ceremonies in the church.[210]

On 15 November, the General Synod voted to allow clergy to bless same-sex marriages. The measure, which passed with a one vote majority, took effect on 17 December 2023.[211][212] Among the first couples to receive a blessing were Reverend Catherine Bond and Reverend Jane Pearce during Holy Eucharist on 17 December at St. John the Baptist Church in Felixstowe, Suffolk. Reverend Canon Andrew Dotchin, who offered the blessing, described the couple's relationship as a "pilgrimage graced by [God's] blessing".[213]

Church of Scotland edit

In May 2018, the Church of Scotland voted to draft new laws that would allow ministers to conduct same-sex marriages. The motion was passed by the General Assembly by a vote of 345 to 170. The legal questions committee had two years to draft legislation. In May 2021, the General Assembly voted 319–217 to approve the draft legislation. The law includes safeguards for ministers opposed to performing same-sex marriages. The presbyteries voted 29–12 in support of the legislation in April, and the General Assembly gave its final approval on 23 May 2022 by 274 votes to 136. Reverend Scott Rennie, the minister of Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen, welcomed the move, saying, "My marriage to my husband, Dave, nurtures my life and my ministry, and frankly I do not think I could be a minister of this church without his love and support. It is always there in the background. Same-sex marriage is like opposite-sex marriage and it has its joys and sorrows, its glories and its tensions. It's pretty normal, really." The vote made the Church of Scotland the largest church in the United Kingdom to allow same-sex marriages.

Church in Wales edit

In September 2021, the Church in Wales voted to bless–but not perform–same-sex marriages in the church. The move was supported unanimously by the bishops, while the clergy voted 28 to 12 in favor with two abstentions, and the laity voted 49 to 10 with one abstention. Gregory Cameron, bishop of the Diocese of St Asaph, said the decision was a "huge step forward for the church and for us all in Wales". The measure includes a conscience clause, allowing individual clergy to decide whether or not to offer blessings.[214][215][216] Cameron performed the first blessing of a same-sex relationship on 13 November 2021 for Father Lee Taylor, the Vicar of Llangollen, and his partner Fabiano Da Silva Duarte.[217]

Consular marriage edit

Following the Consular Marriage and Marriages under Foreign Law Order 2014, "a consular marriage may take place in those countries or territories outside the United Kingdom which have notified the Secretary of State in writing that there is no objection to such marriages taking place in that country or territory and which have not subsequently revoked that notice".[218] Same-sex consular marriages are possible in 26 countries: Australia, Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Cambodia, Chile, China (including Hong Kong),[219] Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, the Seychelles and Vietnam.[220][221]

240 consular same-sex marriages were performed between June 2014 and the end of December 2015. An additional 140 couples converted their civil partnerships into marriages.[222] Consular marriages for same-sex couples were particularly popular in Australia prior to the country's legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2017. 445 couples had married in British consulates across Australia by October 2017.[223]

Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories edit

Same-sex marriage is legal and performed in the three Crown Dependencies of Britain and in eight of the fourteen Overseas Territories.

Crown Dependencies edit

  • Isle of Man – Legislation allowing the performance and recognition of same-sex marriage was approved by the House of Keys on 8 March 2016, and by the Legislative Council on 26 April 2016.[224][225] The legislation was granted royal assent and went into effect on 22 July 2016.[226]
  • Guernsey – The States of Guernsey approved a motion to legislate for the recognition and performance of same-sex marriage in December 2015.[227] The Same-Sex Marriage (Guernsey) Law, 2016 was approved by the States in September 2016 by a vote of 33–5, and gained royal assent on 14 December 2016.[228][229] The law went into effect on 2 May 2017.[230][231] The legislation does not extend to Guernsey's dependencies, Alderney and Sark.
    • Alderney – A bill to allow same-sex marriage was approved by the States of Alderney on 18 October 2017, and received royal assent on 13 December 2017.[232] The law came into effect on 14 June 2018.[233]
    • Sark – On 17 December 2019, the Chief Pleas approved legislation mirroring the provisions of Guernsey's same-sex marriage law.[234] The bill received royal assent in the Privy Council on 11 March 2020, and came into effect on 23 April 2020.[235]
  • Jersey – A motion to introduce legislation regarding same-sex marriage was approved by the States Assembly in September 2015.[236] A same-sex marriage bill was eventually debated by the States on 1 February 2018, where it passed by a vote of 42–1.[237] The law received royal assent on 23 May 2018 and went into effect on 1 July 2018.[238]

Overseas Territories edit

Main article: Recognition of same-sex unions in the British Overseas Territories

Of the fourteen British Overseas Territories, same-sex marriage is allowed in eight: Akrotiri and Dhekelia, the British Antarctic Territory, the British Indian Ocean Territory, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, the Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

In July 2022, Lord Cashman introduced legislation to the House of Lords to legalise same-sex marriage in the remaining six British Overseas Territories. The bill would "empower the Governor of each Territory to make changes to the law in the Territory to recognize the lawfulness of same-sex marriage and allow for the solemnization of marriage of same-sex couples." It had its first reading in the House of Lords on 6 July.[267][268][269] The Governor of the Cayman Islands, Martyn Roper, said the measure has "little chance of progressing". This is not the first attempt to extend same-sex marriage rights to all British Overseas Territories; in February 2019, a Foreign Affairs Select Committee report recommended extending same-sex marriage laws in all territories with an Order in Council. The Leader of the Opposition of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Washington Misick, accused the British Government of trying to "neutralise the authority" of the Caribbean territories. MP Chris Bryant accused territories of wanting to "have their cake and eat it" by refusing to allow same-sex marriages: "You want to be under the British umbrella, but you do not want to be part of the British way of life."[270]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Same-sex marriage became progressively legal in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. It has been legal in Ascension Island since 1 January 2017, in Tristan da Cunha since 4 August 2017 and in Saint Helena since 20 December 2017.
  2. ^ Welsh: Deddf Priodas (Cyplau o'r un rhyw) 2013, pronounced [dɛðv priˈɔdas ˈkəplai ɔr iːn r̥ɪu]; Cornish: Lagha Demedhyans (Koplow a'n keth seks) 2013, pronounced [ˈlæhɐ dəˈmɛðjɐnz ˈkɔplɔʊ æːn keːθ sɛks]
  3. ^ i.e. they registered an abstention by voting both for and against the motion.[108]

References edit

  1. ^ a b . BBC News. 29 March 2014. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  2. ^ . BBC News. 13 October 2014. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  3. ^ Macnab, Scott (16 December 2014). . The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  4. ^ . BBC News. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Same-sex marriage now legal in Northern Ireland". BBC News. 13 January 2020. from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  6. ^ a b Media, P. A. (11 February 2020). "First same-sex marriage takes place in Northern Ireland". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 11 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  7. ^ Mendelson, Sara H. (January 2008). "Hunt, Arabella (1662–1705)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/14190. Retrieved 14 March 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  8. ^ Harriet Sherwood (28 July 2018). "Recognition at last for Gentleman Jack, Britain's "first modern lesbian"". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  9. ^ . United Settlement. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  10. ^ Brent, Gail (1972–1973). "Some Legal Problems of the Postoperative Transsexual". Journal of Family Law. 12: 405.
  11. ^ "HC Deb 02 April 1971 vol 814 c.1829". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 2 April 1971. from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  12. ^ Cretney, Stephen (2003). Family law in the twentieth century: a history. Oxford University Press. pp. 70–71. ISBN 0-19-826899-8.
  13. ^ "1 (a) Marriages between persons of the same sex". (PDF). Law Reform Commission Reports. Vol. 9. Ireland: Law Reform Commission. October 1984. pp. 4–8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2016.
  14. ^ . Legislation.gov.uk. Section 11(c). Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  15. ^ . Office of Public Sector Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  16. ^ . Office of Public Sector Information. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  17. ^ a b . BBC News. 10 December 2013. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  18. ^ Rozenberg, Joshua (6 October 2005). . The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  19. ^ Jones, George (25 June 2004). . The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  20. ^ . Parliament of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  21. ^ Hirsch, Afua (9 December 2008). . The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  22. ^ . Mayor of London. 15 December 2005. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  23. ^ . Liberty. 11 August 2005. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  24. ^ a b . BBC News. 31 July 2006. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  25. ^ a b Murphy, Megan (31 July 2006). . Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
  26. ^ "Wilkinson v Kitzinger & Ors [2006] EWHC 2022 (Fam) (31 July 2006), paragraph 122". BAILII. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  27. ^ a b . UK Gay News. 31 July 2006. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  28. ^ Rozenberg, Joshua (1 August 2006). . The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
  29. ^ Wilkinson, Sue; Kitzinger, Celia (2007). (PDF). Lesbian & Gay Psychology Review, Vol. 8, No. 1. equalmarriagerights.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
  30. ^ Shoffman, Marc (11 October 2006). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  31. ^ Tatchell, Peter (2 August 2006). . The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
  32. ^ "Equal Marriage, The key aims of the campaign are to". Equality-network.org. from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  33. ^ . BBC News. 11 April 2010. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016.
  34. ^ Hope, Christopher (11 April 2010). . The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016.
  35. ^ Sanders, James (12 April 2010). . Pink Paper. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
  36. ^ Beckford, Martin (4 May 2010). . The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016.
  37. ^ Robb, Simon (16 April 2010). . Pink Paper. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
  38. ^ Geen, Jessica (5 May 2010). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  39. ^ a b . Labour Party. 15 March 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  40. ^ . LGBT+ Liberal Democrats. 4 July 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  41. ^ . Liberal Democrat European Group. 17 September 2009. Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
  42. ^ Clegg, Nick (4 July 2009). . LabourList. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  43. ^ . LGBT+ Liberal Democrats. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  44. ^ Grice, Andrew; Taylor, Jerome (13 January 2010). . The Independent. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  45. ^ . LGBT+ Liberal Democrats. 13 January 2010. Archived from the original on 9 February 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  46. ^ . PinkNews. 14 April 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  47. ^ Geen, Jessica (19 July 2010). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  48. ^ . Liberal Democrats. 21 September 2010. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  49. ^ "Lib Dems back same-sex marriages". Press Association. 8 March 2010. Archived from the original on 9 March 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  50. ^ . PinkNews. 22 May 2009. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
  51. ^ . BBC News. 30 July 2009. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  52. ^ Gledhill, Ruth (1 August 2009). . The Times. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
  53. ^ . Britain Yearly Meeting. 15 March 2012. Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  54. ^ Vasagar, Jeevan (25 April 2012). . The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  55. ^ Littauer, Dan (8 July 2012). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  56. ^ . BBC News. 12 June 2012. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  57. ^ (PDF). Methodist Church of Great Britain. June 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  58. ^ a b Harriet Sherwood (30 June 2021). "Methodist church to allow same-sex marriage after 'historic' vote". The Guardian. from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  59. ^ . Muslim Council of Britain. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  60. ^ Rocker, Simon (19 June 2012). . The Jewish Chronicle. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  61. ^ British Social Attitudes, Homosexuality 22 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine, 2013, NatCen
  62. ^ Mazzuca, Josephine (12 October 2004). . Gallup. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  63. ^ (PDF). European Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  64. ^ . The Observer. The Guardian. 26 October 2008. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  65. ^ (PDF). ICM Research. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  66. ^ Bennett, Rosemary (27 June 2009). . The Times. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  67. ^ (PDF). Populus. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
  68. ^ . Angus Reid. 27 July 2010. Archived from the original on 27 July 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  69. ^ Geen, Jessica (12 August 2011). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  70. ^ (PDF). Angus Reid. 3 August 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  71. ^ (PDF). Stonewall. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  72. ^ (PDF). YouGov. 16 December 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  73. ^ (PDF). YouGov. 12 May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  74. ^ (PDF). YouGov. 19 May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  75. ^ . Ipsos. 7–21 May 2013. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016.
  76. ^ Robert Pigott (28 March 2014). . BBC News. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  77. ^ "C4 survey and documentary reveals What British Muslims Really Think". Channel 4. 11 April 2016.
  78. ^ (PDF). ICM Unlimited. p. 120. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2023.
  79. ^ (PDF). Eurobarometer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  80. ^ Broadbent, Emma; Gougoulis, John; Lui, Nicole; Pota, Vikas; Simons, Jonathan (January 2017). "What The World's Young People Think And Feel" (PDF). Varkey Foundation. (PDF) from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  81. ^ Two-thirds of Brits would approve of a same-sex royal wedding 9 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine, PinkNews, 20 April 2018
  82. ^ Religion and society 18 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Pew Research Center, 29 May 2018
  83. ^ Being Christian in Western Europe 25 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Pew Research Center, 29 May 2018
  84. ^ Eastern and Western Europeans Differ on Importance of Religion, Views of Minorities, and Key Social Issues 3 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Pew Research Center, 2017
  85. ^ Zatat, Narjas (28 June 2018). "The majority of British people support same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland". Indy 100. from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  86. ^ "Eurobarometer on Discrimination 2019: The social acceptance of LGBTI people in the EU". TNS. European Commission. p. 2. from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  87. ^ "Support for marriage of same sex couple". YouGov. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  88. ^ "How people in 24 countries view same-sex marriage". Pew Research Center. 13 June 2023.
  89. ^ Perry, Sophie (3 July 2023). "Record number of Brits support same-sex marriage, 10 years after historic vote". PinkNews.
  90. ^ Geen, Jessica (16 September 2011). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  91. ^ Grice, Andrew (18 January 2012). . The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  92. ^ . Green Party. 22 May 2009. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  93. ^ Stamp, Gavin (21 September 2010). . BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  94. ^ (PDF). Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales. June 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  95. ^ . The Times. 5 March 2012. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  96. ^ . The Guardian. 27 February 2012. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  97. ^ . The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  98. ^ Park, James (16 January 2013). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  99. ^ Roberts, Scott (26 October 2012). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  100. ^ Roberts, Scott (16 November 2012). . Pink News. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  101. ^ Smith-Spark, Laura; Shubert, Atika (5 February 2013). . CNN. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  102. ^ Anthony Faiola (25 February 2011). . The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  103. ^ a b Maddox, David (5 February 2013). . The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016.
  104. ^ . PinkNews. 26 December 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  105. ^ McDonald, Henry (1 October 2012). . The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016.
  106. ^ a b c d e f g (PDF). Government of the United Kingdom. 11 December 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  107. ^ . Divisions — 2010–present, Westminster. Public Whip. 6 February 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  108. ^ Lowther, Ed (5 March 2013). . BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2014. five of his [Michael Fabricant's] Conservative colleagues voted both yes and no on the government's same-sex marriage legislation in February
  109. ^ Roberts, Scott (11 December 2012). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  110. ^ . BBC News. 24 January 2013. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  111. ^ a b . Parliament of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  112. ^ . The National Archives. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  113. ^ . BBC News. 5 February 2013. Archived from the original on 27 February 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  114. ^ "Parliamentary business for Monday 20 May 2013". Parliament of the United Kingdom. from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  115. ^ "Parliamentary business for Tuesday 21 May 2013". Parliament of the United Kingdom. from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  116. ^ . BBC News. 21 May 2013. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  117. ^ . Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Lords. 21 May 2013. col. 834. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. . Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  118. ^ McCormick, Joseph Patrick (4 June 2013). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  119. ^ Bingham, John (15 July 2013). . The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016.
  120. ^ "Same-sex marriage becomes law in England and Wales". BBC News. 16 July 2013. from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  121. ^ . Government of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  122. ^ Duffy, Nick (13 March 2014). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  123. ^ Javid, Sajid (26 June 2014). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  124. ^ "First same-sex weddings take place in Scotland". BBC News. 31 December 2014. from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  125. ^ "Scotland legalizes same-sex marriage". LGBTQ Nation. 4 February 2014. from the original on 18 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  126. ^ "Gay marriage to be introduced in Scotland". BBC News. 25 July 2012. from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  127. ^ Bussey, Katrine; Duncanson, Hilary (25 July 2012). "Scotland's gay marriage law to progress". The Independent. from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  128. ^ "Ministers contacted over gay marriage more than Scottish independence referendum". The Scotsman. 11 May 2012. from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  129. ^ "Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill". Scottish Parliament. from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  130. ^ "Bill published to make same-sex marriage legal in Scotland". PinkNews. 27 June 2013. from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  131. ^ "Scotland's same-sex marriage bill is passed". BBC News. 4 February 2014. from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  132. ^ . Scottish Government. 26 June 2013. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  133. ^ Senzee, Thom (16 December 2014). "Scotland's Marriage Equality Starts Today". The Advocate. from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  134. ^ McBride, Sam (26 June 2013). . The News Letter. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  135. ^ . Belfast Telegraph. 29 April 2013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  136. ^ a b McAdam, Noel (2 November 2015). . Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  137. ^ Payton, Naith (27 April 2015). . PinkNews. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  138. ^ Moriarty, Gerry (27 April 2015). . The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  139. ^ "Official Report (Hansard)" (PDF). Northern Ireland Assembly. 2 November 2015. (PDF) from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017. Refer to pp. 1–18
  140. ^ "Same-sex marriage to be Sinn Fein's priority in the next Assembly session". Belfast Telegraph. 28 April 2016. from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  141. ^ "Northern Ireland finance minister calls for gay marriage bill". Stowe Family Law LLP. 23 June 2016. from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  142. ^ "Same-sex marriage: Arlene Foster criticised for 'childish' online abuse comments". BBC News. 28 October 2016. from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  143. ^ "NI Election: DUP loses 'petition of concern' power opening door for gay marriage – Sinn Fein slashes lead to one seat". Belfast Telegraph. 4 March 2017. from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  144. ^ "Same-sex marriage could be introduced to Northern Ireland via Westminster – Bradley". Independent.ie. 20 February 2018. from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  145. ^ "Labour MP to introduce Northern Ireland same-sex marriage bill in March". Belfast Telegraph. 23 February 2018. from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  146. ^ "Status and progress of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) (No.2) Bill 2017–19". Services.parliament.uk. 16 April 2018. from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  147. ^ "Text of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Bill" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  148. ^ "Bid to introduce same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland blocked". Belfast Telegraph. 11 May 2018. from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  149. ^ "Voter Registration Bill, 23 November 2018 Volume 649". Hansard.parliament.uk. 23 November 2018. from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  150. ^ NI same-sex marriage bill passes first stage in Lords 16 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News, 28 March 2018
  151. ^ "Westminster bid to introduce same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland is withdrawn". The Irish News. 2 March 2019. from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  152. ^ Northern Ireland equal marriage measure passed by MPs in symbolic vote 27 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine. PinkNews, 24 October 2018
  153. ^ "Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018". Services.parliament.uk. from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  154. ^ . CommonsVotes. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  155. ^ "MPs in fresh attempt to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland". The Guardian. 2 July 2019. from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  156. ^ "MPs vote to extend same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland". The Guardian. 9 July 2019. from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  157. ^ "Northern Ireland same-sex marriage move backed by MPs". BBC News. 9 July 2019. from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  158. ^ "Peers back NI same sex marriage and abortion reform". BBC News. 17 July 2019. from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  159. ^ "Legislative Overview: Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019". Parliament of the United Kingdom. from the original on 24 December 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  160. ^ "Law liberalising abortion and same-sex marriage in NI passes final stage". The Irish Times. 23 July 2019. from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  161. ^ "NI parties fail in bid to stop abortion law change". 21 October 2019. from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  162. ^ McGee, Luke (13 January 2020). "Same-sex marriage is finally legal in Northern Ireland". CNN. from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  163. ^ Media, P. A. (11 February 2020). "Same-sex marriage: Couple make history as first in NI". BBC News. from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  164. ^ a b . Belfast Telegraph. 4 December 2015. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  165. ^ "High Court rejects legal challenge for equal marriage in Northern Ireland". Pink News. 17 August 2017. from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  166. ^ "Summary of Judgement; Judge Dismisses Same Sex Marriage Petition" (PDF). courtsni.gov.uk. 17 August 2017. (PDF) from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  167. ^ "Judgment reserved on Northern Ireland couple's same-sex marriage legal challenge". Belfast Telegraph. 16 March 2018. from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  168. ^ "Ban on same sex marriage was 'unjustified discrimination', Northern Ireland court rules". Belfast Telegraph. 7 April 2020. from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  169. ^ "Court delivers same sex marriage judgment – Summary of Judgment" (PDF). Judiciary NI. 7 April 2020. (PDF) from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  170. ^ "Close (Grainne) and Shannon Sickles and Christopher Flanagan-Kane and Henry Flanagan-Kane's Application" (PDF). Judiciary NI. 7 April 2020. (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  171. ^ Clakre, Liam (3 October 2014). . Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  172. ^ Cromie, Claire (6 July 2015). . Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  173. ^ McDonald, Henry (24 May 2015). "Northern Ireland under pressure after Irish gay marriage referendum win". The Guardian. from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions will join Amnesty International and gay rights group the Rainbow Project to hold a mass rally in support of equal marriage rights on 13 June, while a legal test case has also been lodged with Belfast's courts.
  174. ^ . Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 13 June 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  175. ^ "Survey shows 70% support for same-sex marriages in Northern Ireland – BelfastTelegraph.co.uk". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  176. ^ "76% of Northern Ireland back marriage equality in latest poll". Gaytimes.co.uk. 9 April 2018. from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  177. ^ "How many marriages of same sex couples have been formed in England and Wales so far?". Webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. 21 August 2014. Archived from the original on 5 January 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  178. ^ Gay marriage: 15,000 same-sex couples wed since law change 27 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine BBC News
  179. ^ Lydia Morris (14 September 2016). "Civil partnerships in Cheshire almost disappear following new gay-marriage law". Chesterchronicle.co.uk. from the original on 12 September 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  180. ^ Mark McGivern (31 March 2015). "One in eight marriages in Scotland are same sex, according to new figures". Dailyrecord.co.uk. from the original on 11 December 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  181. ^ . Equality-network.org. 14 March 2016. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  182. ^ Reynolds, Daniel (17 June 2018). "Get Ready for the First Gay Royal Wedding". Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  183. ^ "Marriages in England and Wales: 2014". Office for National Statistics. 14 March 2017. from the original on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  184. ^ "Marriages in England and Wales: 2015". Office for National Statistics. 28 February 2018. from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  185. ^ "Marriages in England and Wales: 2016". Office for National Statistics. 28 March 2019. from the original on 19 April 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  186. ^ "Marriages in England and Wales: 2017". Office for National Statistics. 14 April 2020. from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  187. ^ "Marriages in England and Wales: 2018". Office for National Statistics. 10 August 2021. from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  188. ^ "Marriage, cohabitation and civil partnerships – Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. from the original on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  189. ^ "Marriages in England and Wales: 2020". Office for National Statistics. 11 May 2023. from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  190. ^ Robson, Graham (3 November 2022). "Census reveals Brighton & Hove is same-sex capital of England and Wales". Gscene.
  191. ^ "Nederlandse Kerk: Gay marriage". Dutchchurch.org.uk. from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  192. ^ "Reform Judaism backs gay marriage". 7 March 2012. from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  193. ^ "Same-sex couple married in pagan first". BBC News. 19 January 2015.
  194. ^ "Pastor Steve Chalke of Oasis Church applies for licence to minister to same-sex marriages". Christiantoday.com. 11 May 2016. from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  195. ^ "Scottish Episcopal Church takes gay marriage step". BBC News. 10 June 2016. from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  196. ^ "Scottish Episcopal church votes to allow same-sex weddings". Guardian. 8 June 2017. from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  197. ^ Perraudin, Frances (20 July 2017). "First same-sex marriage at Anglican church in UK to be held this summer". The Guardian. from the original on 6 December 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  198. ^ "Britain's first Anglican same-sex marriage celebrated in a Scottish church". Religion News Service. 4 August 2017. from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  199. ^ "Scottish Episcopal Church approves gay marriage". BBC News. 8 June 2017. from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  200. ^ May, Callum (9 July 2016). "United Reformed Church approves gay marriage services". BBC News. from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  201. ^ Harry Farley (1 July 2021). "Methodist Church allows same-sex marriage in 'momentous' vote". BBC News. from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  202. ^ McGee, Sarah (20 June 2022). "Preston: Same-sex couple among first to get married in a Methodist Church". Lancashire Telegraph.
  203. ^ Flynn, JD (22 December 2023). "Is the 'false narrative' narrative a false narrative?". The Pillar. from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  204. ^ Coppen, Luke (19 December 2023). "'Fiducia supplicans': Who's saying what?". The Pillar.
  205. ^ "Church of England bishops refuse to back gay marriage". BBC News. 18 January 2023.
  206. ^ Sherwood, Harriet (9 February 2023). "Church of England votes in favour of blessings for same-sex unions". The Guardian.
  207. ^ "Bishop of Oxford says church should marry gay couples". BBC News. 2 November 2022.
  208. ^ Burgess, Kaya (3 November 2022). "Bishop becomes most senior Church figure to back same-sex marriage". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  209. ^ Perry, Sophie (23 March 2023). "Labour MP introduces bill to allow same-sex marriages in Church of England". PinkNews.
  210. ^ Topping, Alexandra (30 August 2023). "Most Church of England priests back gay marriage, survey finds". The Guardian.
  211. ^ Browning, Bil (16 November 2023). "Church of England will try out blessing same-sex marriages". LGBTQ Nation.
  212. ^ Farley, Harry (16 November 2023). "Church of England backs services for gay couples". BBC News.
  213. ^ Paulsen, David (17 December 2023). "Same-sex couples receive blessings for first time in Church of England". Episcopal News Service.
  214. ^ "Church in Wales to give blessings for same-sex marriages". BBC News. 6 September 2021. from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  215. ^ Sherwood, Harriet (6 September 2021). "Church in Wales votes to bless same-sex marriages". The Guardian. from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  216. ^ Alcindor, Nicole (8 September 2021). "Church in Wales to allow pastors to bless same-sex marriages, won't conduct gay weddings". Christian Post. from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  217. ^ Evans, Arron (14 November 2021). "Bishop blessed vicar's civil partnership at special Llangollen service". North Wales Chronicle. from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  218. ^ . The National Archives. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  219. ^ "LCQ7: Provision of same-sex marriage registration services by foreign consulates". www.info.gov.hk. from the original on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  220. ^ . Government of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 1 January 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  221. ^ "First same-sex couple to marry in Seychelles at British High Commission". Pinknews.co.uk. 12 June 2015. from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  222. ^ Human Rights & Democracy 7 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine Foreign and Commonwealth Office
  223. ^ "Same-sex couple tie the knot in Australia using marriage equality loophole". PinkNews. 27 October 2017. from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  224. ^ (PDF). Tynwald. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  225. ^ "Isle of Man same-sex marriage bill approved". BBC. 26 April 2016. from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  226. ^ . IOMToday. 19 July 2016. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  227. ^ . BBC News. 10 December 2015. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  228. ^ (PDF). Privy Council of the United Kingdom. p. 18. Archived from the original on 15 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  229. ^ Strudwick, Patrick (21 September 2016). . BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  230. ^ . Island FM. 26 April 2017. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  231. ^ . Guernsey Legal Resources. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  232. ^ (PDF). 14 December 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  233. ^ . ITV Channel Television. 13 June 2018. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  234. ^ . BBC. 18 December 2019. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  235. ^ "Orders Approved and Business Transacted at the Privy Council Held by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 11th March 2020" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  236. ^ . BBC News. 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  237. ^ "Equal marriage legislation passed by Jersey politicians". ITV News. 1 February 2018. from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  238. ^ "Jersey to introduce same-sex marriage from 1 July". BBC News. 27 June 2018. from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  239. ^ "Overseas Marriage (Armed Forces) Order 2014" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  240. ^ "Soldier weds partner to become first same sex couple to marry on a British military base". Mirror. 7 October 2016. from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  241. ^ a b "Civil Partnership (Armed Forces) Order 2005" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  242. ^ . The Royal Gazette. 5 May 2017. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  243. ^ "Bermuda to ban same-sex marriage months after it was legalised". The Guardian. 14 December 2017. from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  244. ^ "Summary Judgment: Ferguson et al v. Attorney-General" (PDF). Supreme Court of Bermuda. 6 June 2018. (PDF) from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  245. ^ Farge, Emma. "Bermuda top court reverses government's gay marriage ban". U.S. from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  246. ^ a b "Bermuda's ban on same-sex marriage is allowed, UK judges rule". The Guardian. 14 March 2022. from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  247. ^ "The Marriage Ordinance 2016" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  248. ^ "Review of British Antarctic Territory legislation: changes to the marriage and registration ordinances – Publications – GOV.UK". from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  249. ^ "Overseas Marriage (Armed Forces) Order 2014" (PDF). Legislation.gov.uk. 28 April 2014. (PDF) from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  250. ^ "Civil partnerships now legal in the Cayman Islands – Cayman Islands Headline News". Cayman News Service. 4 September 2020. from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  251. ^ . Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands. pp. 38–45. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  252. ^ "Marriage Ordinance 1996; Amending Legislation; Marriage (Amendment) Ordinance 2017 – [Ord. 6/17]". Falkland Islands Legislation. 31 July 2017. from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  253. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  254. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  255. ^ (PDF). Government of the Pitcairn Islands. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  256. ^ . Yahoo! News. Agence France-Presse. 25 June 2015. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  257. ^ . The Guardian. Associated Press. 22 June 2015. Archived from the original on 15 December 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  258. ^ (PDF). Government of Ascension Island. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  259. ^ (PDF). Ascension-island.gov.ac. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  260. ^ "Marriage (Ascension) Ordinance, 2016" (PDF). Ascension-island.gov.ac. (PDF) from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  261. ^ "The St. Helena Government Gazette No 111 2016" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  262. ^ "Marriage (Ascension) (Commencement) Order, 2016" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  263. ^ "Tweet from Governor Lisa Phillips". from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  264. ^ "Same-sex marriage approved for St Helena: opponent calls for society to embrace the result". St Helena Online. 19 December 2017. from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  265. ^ "Local laws and customs – South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (British Overseas Territory) travel advice – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  266. ^ "Visitors – Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands". www.gov.gs. from the original on 6 June 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  267. ^ "Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Overseas Territories) Bill [HL]". www.bills.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  268. ^ "UK legislation could pave way for same-sex marriage in overseas territories". Caribbean National Weekly. 8 July 2022. from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  269. ^ Conolly, Norma (6 July 2022). "UK Parliament to consider bill to legalise same-sex marriage in Overseas Territories". Cayman Compass. from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  270. ^ Handy, Gemma (15 July 2022). "UK Same Sex Bill sparks contention -'Equality is possible without gay marriage' – Premier". Turks and Caicos Weekly News. from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.

Further reading edit

  • Smart, Carol; Heaphy, Brian; Einarsdottir, Anna (2013). Same sex marriages: new generations, new relationships. Genders and sexualities in the social sciences. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230300231.

January 01, 1970
same, marriage, united, kingdom, same, marriage, legal, parts, united, kingdom, marriage, devolved, legislative, matter, different, parts, united, kingdom, legalised, different, times, been, recognised, performed, england, wales, since, march, 2014, scotland, . Same sex marriage is legal in all parts of the United Kingdom As marriage is a devolved legislative matter different parts of the United Kingdom legalised at different times it has been recognised and performed in England and Wales since March 2014 in Scotland since December 2014 and in Northern Ireland since January 2020 Civil partnerships which offer most but not all of the rights and benefits of marriage have been recognised since 2005 The United Kingdom was the 27th country in the world and the sixteenth in Europe to allow same sex couples to marry nationwide Legislation to allow same sex marriage in England and Wales was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in July 2013 and took effect on 13 March 2014 The first same sex marriages took place on 29 March 2014 1 Legislation to allow same sex marriage in Scotland was passed by the Scottish Parliament in February 2014 and took effect on 16 December 2014 2 The first marriage ceremonies for same sex couples previously in civil partnerships occurred on 16 December 3 The first marriage ceremonies for couples not in civil partnerships occurred on 31 December 2014 4 Legislation to allow same sex marriage in Northern Ireland was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in July 2019 and took effect on 13 January 2020 5 The first same sex marriage ceremony took place on 11 February 2020 6 Same sex marriage is legal in eight of the fourteen British Overseas Territories It has been recognised in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands since 2014 Akrotiri and Dhekelia and the British Indian Ocean Territory for UK military personnel only since 3 June 2014 the Pitcairn Islands since 14 May 2015 the British Antarctic Territory since 13 October 2016 Gibraltar since 15 December 2016 the Falkland Islands since 29 April 2017 and Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha since 20 December 2017 a Same sex marriage was formerly legal in Bermuda from 2017 to 2022 where domestic partnerships have been available to same sex couples since 1 June 2018 Civil partnerships were legalised in the Cayman Islands on 4 September 2020 Same sex marriage is legal in the Crown Dependencies It has been recognised and performed in the Isle of Man since 22 July 2016 in Jersey since 1 July 2018 and in the Bailiwick of Guernsey at different times in Guernsey since 2 May 2017 in Alderney since 14 June 2018 and in Sark since 23 April 2020 Contents 1 History 1 1 Legal history 1 2 Civil partnerships 1 3 Wilkinson v Kitzinger and Others 2 Debate 2 1 Campaign groups 2 2 Political parties 2 3 Religious bodies 2 4 Public opinion 3 England and Wales 3 1 Legislation 4 Scotland 5 Northern Ireland 5 1 History 5 1 1 2019 legalisation by Westminster 5 2 Court challenges 5 3 Public opinion 6 Marriage statistics 7 Religious performance 7 1 Church of England 7 2 Church of Scotland 7 3 Church in Wales 8 Consular marriage 9 Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories 9 1 Crown Dependencies 9 2 Overseas Territories 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 13 Further readingHistory edit nbsp Recognition of same sex unions in the British Overseas Territories the Crown Dependencies and administrative territories Marriage Marriage for expat personnel and dependents only British sovereignty not recognised internationally Domestic partnerships Limited domestic recognition Unrecognised A Isle of Man B Guernsey C Jersey 1 United Kingdom 2 Gibraltar 3 Akrotiri and Dhekelia 4 Bermuda 5 Turks and Caicos Islands 6 British Virgin Islands 7 Anguilla 8 Cayman Islands 9 Montserrat 10 Pitcairn Islands 11 Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha 12 British Indian Ocean Territory 13 Falkland Islands 14 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 15 British Antarctic Territory Legal history edit In common law a marriage between persons of the same sex was void ab initio In 1680 Arabella Hunt married James Howard in 1682 the marriage was annulled on the ground that Howard was in fact Amy Poulter a perfect woman in all her parts and two women could not validly marry 7 On 30 March 1834 Anne Lister and Ann Walker were married at the Holy Trinity Church at Goodramgate in York and thereafter considered themselves married but without legal recognition The church has been described as an icon for what is interpreted as the site of the first lesbian marriage to be held in Britain and the building now hosts a commemorative blue plaque 8 The couple lived together at Shibden Hall until Lister s death in 1840 In 1866 in Hyde v Hyde and Woodmansee a case of polygamy Lord Penzance s judgment began Marriage as understood in Christendom is the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others 9 In Talbot otherwise Poyntz v Talbot in 1967 the prohibition was held to extend where one spouse was a post operative transsexual with Justice Roger Ormrod stating Marriage is a relationship which depends on sex not on gender 10 11 In 1971 the Nullity of Marriage Act was passed explicitly banning marriages between same sex couples in England and Wales 12 The parliamentary debates on the 1971 act included discussion on the issue of transsexualism but not homosexuality 13 The 1971 act was later replaced by the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 which also declared that a marriage was void if the parties were not respectively male and female 14 Prohibition of same sex marriages was also included in the marriage legislation of Scotland and Northern Ireland The Marriage Order Northern Ireland 2003 stated there was a legal impediment to marriage if the parties were of the same sex but the Marriage Same sex Couples and Civil Partnership Opposite sex Couples Northern Ireland Regulations 2019 removed this provision The Marriage Act Scotland 1977 had a similar legal impediment but following the passage of the Marriage and Civil Partnership Scotland Act 2014 the act no longer prohibits marriages if both parties are of the same sex 15 16 On 17 July 2013 royal assent was granted to the Marriage Same Sex Couples Act 2013 b On 10 December 2013 Her Majesty s Government announced that the first same sex marriages would take place from 29 March 2014 17 Civil partnerships edit Main article Civil partnership in the United Kingdom The Civil Partnership Act 2004 came into effect in December 2005 It created civil partnerships which gave same sex couples who entered into them most of the rights and responsibilities of marriage 18 These partnerships were called gay marriages by some of the British media 19 however the government made clear that they were not marriages 20 21 Before this an informal London Partnership Register had been set up in 2001 by the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone but without any legal recognition 22 Since Section 9 of the Marriage Same Sex Couples Act 2013 took effect any couple registered in a civil partnership is granted the ability to convert that partnership into a marriage Wilkinson v Kitzinger and Others edit Main article Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson Wilkinson v Kitzinger nbsp CourtHigh Court of JusticeFamily DivisionDecided31 July 2006Citation s 2006 EWHC 2022 Fam 2006 H R L R 36Court membershipJudge s sittingPotter P On 26 August 2003 Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson both British university professors legally married in British Columbia Canada However on their return their marriage was not recognised under British law Under the subsequent Civil Partnership Act it was converted into a civil partnership The couple sued for recognition of their marriage arguing that it was legal in the country in which it was executed and met the requirements for recognition of overseas marriages and should thus be treated in the same way as one between opposite sex couples They rejected the conversion of their marriage into a civil partnership believing it to be both practically and symbolically a lesser substitute They were represented by civil rights group Liberty The group s legal director James Welch said it was a matter of fairness and equality for the couple s marriage to be recognised and that they shouldn t have to settle for the second best option of a civil partnership 23 The High Court announced its judgement on 31 July 2006 ruling that their union would not be granted marriage status and would continue to be recognised in England and Wales as a civil partnership The president of the Family Division Sir Mark Potter gave as his reason that abiding single sex relationships are in no way inferior nor does English Law suggest that they are by according them recognition under the name of civil partnership and that marriage was an age old institution which he suggested was by longstanding definition and acceptance a relationship between a man and a woman 24 25 He agreed with the couple s claim that they were being discriminated against by the Civil Partnership Act 2004 but considered that To the extent that by reason of that distinction it discriminates against same sex partners such discrimination has a legitimate aim is reasonable and proportionate and falls within the margin of appreciation accorded to Convention States 26 Attorney General Peter Goldsmith as second respondent sought 25 000 in legal costs from the couple which the High Court ordered them to pay 27 Wilkinson and Kitzinger said they were deeply disappointed with the judgement not just for themselves but for lesbian and gay families across the nation 25 They said that denying our marriage does nothing to protect heterosexual marriage it simply upholds discrimination and inequality and also said that the ruling insulted LGBT people and treats their relationships as inferior to heterosexual ones not worthy of marriage but only of an expressly different and entirely separate institution 28 29 They said however that they believed the judgement won t stand the test of time and that they looked forward to the day when there is full equality in marriage 24 They had originally announced their intention to appeal the decision but later abandoned it due to lack of funds 30 Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said that the establishment s aggressive opposition to same sex marriage and the successful demand of 25 000 from the couple damaged the government s gay friendly credentials He also claimed that the demand in legal costs was designed to damage the couple financially so they would not be able to appeal 27 He said he was angry but not downcast about the ruling and that this was only a temporary setback in the long struggle for marriage equality 31 Debate editCampaign groups edit Equal Marriage a campaign for same sex marriage in Scotland was established by the Equality Network in 2008 with a focus on securing same sex marriage and different sex civil partnerships in Scotland 32 In England and Wales the first major campaign for same sex marriage was Equal Love established by Peter Tatchell in 2010 The first major campaign against same sex marriage in Britain was Scotland for Marriage established in 2011 followed by the Coalition for Marriage in England and Wales in 2012 Subsequent campaigns for and against same sex marriage have been established by a wide variety of organisations including the Coalition for Equal Marriage and Out4Marriage both established in England in 2012 In Northern Ireland a campaign for full same sex marriage was established by LGBT rights activist and political campaigner Gary Spedding in June 2012 with the specific goal of challenging social attitudes whilst lobbying the Northern Ireland Assembly to enact legislation to permit same sex marriages Political parties edit Conservative Party During the run up to the 2010 general election the then Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said that a Conservative government would be happy to consider the case for ending the ban on same sex marriage 33 34 although he was criticised for not making any specific promises 35 On 4 May 2010 the party published a Contract for Equalities which said it would consider recognising civil partnerships as marriages if elected 36 Labour Party In April 2010 Labour Minister for Equality Harriet Harman when asked about same sex marriage said the issue was a developing area and that the government still had a long way to go with gay rights 37 Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the government did not allow same sex marriage because it was intimately bound up with questions of religious freedom 38 During the 2010 Labour leadership election campaign each of the Labour candidates expressed their support for reform to lead to the recognition of same sex marriage Following Ed Miliband s victory it became Labour party policy with the party welcoming Her Majesty s Government s consultation and calling for legislation to be brought forth as soon as possible 39 Liberal Democrats Leader Nick Clegg stated in 2009 that his party backed legalisation 40 41 On 4 July 2009 in an article for LabourList Clegg wrote that although civil partnerships have been a step forward until same sex marriage is permitted it is impossible to claim gay and straight couples are treated equally 42 Following this the party s LGBT rights group LGBT Liberal Democrats launched the petition Marriage Without Borders calling for all gender restrictions on marriage and civil partnerships to be lifted and for same sex relationships to be recognised across Europe and internationally The petition was run at Manchester Pride and Reading Pride in 2009 and launched online in January 2010 43 following an interview with Clegg in Attitude magazine in which he reaffirmed his commitment to same sex marriage 44 45 However this did not make it into the party s manifesto 46 In an interview in July 2010 Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes confirmed that the coalition government was planning to open marriage to same sex couples saying It would be appropriate in Britain in 2010 2011 for there to be the ability for civil marriage for straight people and gay people equally The state ought to give equality We re halfway there I think we ought to be able to get there in this parliament 47 In September 2010 the Liberal Democrats voted at their Autumn Federal Conference to make same sex marriage a party policy at the Westminster level 48 The Scottish Liberal Democrats had already approved a motion at their 2010 spring conference calling on the Scottish Government to allow same sex couples to marry describing the exclusion of same sex couples from marriage as a discrimination that needs to end 49 Green Party of England and Wales On 22 May 2009 the Green Party called for an end to the ban on civil marriages between same sex couples in Britain and in other EU member states Party leader Caroline Lucas said the party wants marriage for same sex couples and that married same sex couples who travel throughout Europe should be able to have their relationship recognised on the same basis as married heterosexual couples Peter Tatchell who was the party s candidate for Oxford East at the time said there is a confusing patchwork of different partnership laws throughout Europe and that for a majority of lesbian and gay couples their legal rights stop at their own borders He said the best and most universally recognised system of partnership is civil marriage and anything less is second class and discrimination 50 Religious bodies edit At their Yearly Meeting in 2009 the Quakers decided to recognise opposite sex and same sex marriages equally and perform marriage ceremonies for same sex couples making them the first mainstream religious body in the United Kingdom to do so Under the law at that time registrars were not allowed to legally officiate at a marriage between same sex couples but the Quakers stated that the law did not preclude them from playing a central role in the celebration and recording of same sex marriages and asked the government to change the law so that these marriages would be recognised 51 52 In a joint press release in 2012 the Quakers Liberal Jews and Unitarians gave their endorsement to the same sex marriage consultation 53 The largest Christian denominations have been wholly opposed to the legislation to recognise and perform same sex marriages The leaders of the Catholic Church in England and Wales have been vocal in opposition urging both parishioners and schools within its care to sign a petition against the government plans as did the Catholic Church in Scotland 54 55 The leaders of the Church of England were concerned that the legalisation regarding same sex marriage would undermine the Church s position as the state religion of England 56 The Methodist Church of Great Britain in responding to the government consultation on same sex marriage acknowledged in 2012 that many Methodist churches had over the previous 20 years affirmed and celebrated the participation of gay men and lesbians in a union but noted that the Methodist Church would not use the word marriage with reference to same sex unions 57 However in June 2021 the Methodist Church s conference voted to allow same sex marriages to be solemnised in their places of worship 58 In 2012 the Muslim Council of Britain launched a campaign against same sex marriage 59 The Chief Rabbi Baron Sacks and the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue also came out in opposition to the plans stating that same sex marriage is against Jewish law 60 Public opinion edit nbsp Laws regarding same sex partnerships in Europe Marriage Civil union Limited domestic recognition cohabitation Limited foreign recognition residency rights Unrecognized Constitution limits marriage to opposite sex couples May include recent laws or court decisions that have not yet entered into effect vte Opinion polls have shown general support for same sex marriage among Britons Attitudes towards homosexuality amongst the British public have become more supportive or at least tolerant over time according to the British Social Attitudes Survey in 1983 approximately 50 to 70 of respondents of the three major political parties Conservative Labour and Liberal Democrat regarded homosexuality as always wrong or mostly wrong and in 1993 opposition to homosexuality was reported to have slightly increased amongst all parties However by 2003 attitudes had become more tolerant with 25 to 50 of respondents regarding homosexuality as always or mostly wrong and by 2013 only around 20 to 35 of respondents in each party felt the same way Liberal Democrat respondents tended to be less likely to regard homosexuality as wrong than Labour or Conservative respondents across each survey 61 A 2004 poll by Gallup reported that 52 of respondents agreed that marriages between homosexuals should be recognised while 45 said they should not The poll also found that 65 supported allowing same sex couples to form civil unions 62 A 2006 Eurobarometer survey reported that 46 of British people agreed that same sex marriages should be allowed throughout Europe slightly higher than the European Union average of 44 63 A poll conducted in September 2008 by ICM Research for The Observer found that 55 of Britons believed that same sex couples should be allowed to get married with 45 against 64 65 An opinion poll conducted in June 2009 by Populus for The Times reported that 61 of the British public agreed with the statement Gay couples should have an equal right to get married not just to have civil partnerships while 33 disagreed Support was highest among those aged between 25 and 34 where 78 agreed and 19 disagreed It was lowest amongst those over 65 where 37 agreed and 52 disagreed A majority of both men and women agreed but support was higher among women 67 than men 55 In terms of voting intention 73 of Liberal Democrats 64 of Labour voters and 53 of Conservatives agreed that same sex couples should have the right to marry 66 67 A poll conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion in July 2010 showed that 78 of British people supported either same sex marriage or civil partnerships for same sex couples with 41 opting for same sex marriage and 37 opting for civil partnerships Support for no legal unions for same sex couples decreased by 3 from August 2009 68 According to the 2010 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 61 of Scottish people supported same sex marriage while 19 did not and 18 neither agreed nor disagreed In a similar poll in 2002 42 of Scotland s population supported same sex marriage In 2006 53 of Scots backed same sex marriage 69 In July 2011 a representative survey conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion showed that 43 of Britons believed same sex couples should be legally allowed to marry 34 thought same sex couples should only be allowed to form civil partnerships and 15 would grant no legal recognition to same sex couples 70 A poll published by YouGov in March 2012 showed that 43 of British people supported same sex marriage while 32 supported civil partnerships and 16 were opposed to any legal recognition of same sex relationships Support was particularly high amongst women young people people in Scotland and Liberal Democrat voters Support was lower among the working class older people Conservative voters and men in general In the same poll 62 expressed a belief that homosexual relationships had the same value as heterosexual ones but 47 of people supported the right of the Church of England to defend different sex marriage and 37 disagreed A June 2012 YouGov survey indicated increasing support for LGBT rights among the British people The report found that 71 were in favour of same sex marriage 71 Two YouGov polls in December 2012 found that 55 of the population were in favour of introducing same sex marriage 72 Another poll in May 2013 confirmed public support for the same sex marriage bill with 53 in favour 73 A second poll in May showed a similar level of support 54 and also found that 58 of those who considered same sex marriage an important election issue would be more likely to vote for a party that supported it 74 A May 2013 Ipsos poll found that 55 of respondents were in favour of same sex marriage 75 A poll by BBC Radio in March 2014 found that 68 of respondents supported same sex marriage and 26 opposed it The research also found that young people were more likely to support same sex marriage with 80 support from 18 34 year olds compared with 44 of over 65s 75 of women were in favour compared to 61 of men 76 A face to face survey conducted in 2015 by ICM Research for Channel 4 found that 16 of British Muslims agreed with the statement that same sex marriage should be legal in Britain with 56 disagreeing The survey also found that only 18 thought homosexuality should be legal in Britain with 52 disagreeing 77 78 The 2015 Eurobarometer found that 71 of Britons thought same sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe while 24 were opposed 79 nbsp Support for same sex marriage among 18 21 year olds according to a 2016 survey from the Varkey Foundation A September October 2016 survey by the Varkey Foundation found that 77 of 18 21 year olds supported same sex marriage in the United Kingdom 80 According to an Ipsos poll published in April 2018 73 of the British public supported same sex marriage while 8 believed it should be banned A further 13 personally disapproved of it but did not wish to have it banned again Additionally the same poll found that 66 would approve of a royal same sex wedding 81 A Pew Research Center poll conducted between April and August 2017 and published in May 2018 showed that 77 of Britons supported same sex marriage 20 were opposed and 3 did not know or refused to answer 82 When divided by religion 83 of non practising Christians 82 of religiously unaffiliated people and 63 of church attending Christians supported same sex marriage 83 Opposition was 13 among 18 34 year olds 84 A June 2018 YouGov opinion poll found that 80 of British people supported the introduction of same sex marriage in Northern Ireland with 66 of Northern Irish respondents in favour 70 of Conservative voters 89 of Labour voters and 90 of Liberal Democrat voters were in favour of its introduction Among Remain voters 90 supported same sex marriage in Northern Ireland whereas Leave voters supported it at 68 this was at a time when in the aftermath of the 2016 EU referendum the issue of Brexit dominated British politics 85 The 2019 Eurobarometer found that 85 of Britons thought same sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe while 12 were opposed 86 A YouGov poll conducted in September 2022 showed that 76 of Britons supported same sex marriage 13 were opposed and 10 did not know More specifically 52 strongly supported while 24 tend ed to support same sex marriage Conversely 7 tend ed to oppose while 6 strongly opposed same sex marriage 87 A Pew Research Center poll conducted between February and May 2023 showed that 74 of Britons supported same sex marriage 22 were opposed and 4 did not know or refused to answer When divided by political affiliation support was highest among those on the left and the centre of the political spectrum at 81 followed by those on the right at 65 88 A June 2023 YouGov poll showed that 78 of Britons supported same sex marriage 89 England and Wales editMain article Marriage Same Sex Couples Act 2013 nbsp A same sex wedding in the United Kingdom 2015 nbsp A lesbian couple on their wedding day in Leeds 2017 On 17 September 2011 at the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference Lynne Featherstone announced that Her Majesty s Government would launch a consultation in March 2012 on how to implement equal civil marriage for same sex couples with the intention of any legislative changes being made by the next general election 90 The Prime Minister s Office let it be known that David Cameron had personally intervened in favour of legalising same sex unions and on 5 October 2011 the Conservative Party Conference applauded Cameron s support for same sex marriage in his Leader s Speech 91 On 12 March 2012 the Government of the United Kingdom launched the public consultation on equal civil marriage in England and Wales The government proposals were to enable same sex couples to have a civil marriage i e only civil ceremonies in a register office or approved premises like a hotel to make no changes to religious marriages This would continue only to be legally possible between a man and a woman to retain civil partnerships for same sex couples and allow couples already in a civil partnership to convert this into a marriage to continue to permit civil partnership registrations on religious premises as is possible i e on a voluntary basis for faith groups and with no religious content and to allow individuals to be able legally to change their gender without having to end their marriage Several political and media organisations expressed their support for same sex marriage legislation in England and Wales including the Green Party of England and Wales 92 the Liberal Democrats 93 the Labour Party 39 and Plaid Cymru 94 as well as The Times 95 The Guardian 96 and The Independent which launched a campaign called Equal Partners 97 On 16 January 2013 the Coalition for Equal Marriage announced that it had evidence of the support of a majority of MPs in the House of Commons 98 The following political parties expressed their opposition to same sex marriage legislation in England and Wales the British National Party which opposes same sex marriage and civil partnerships 99 and the UK Independence Party 100 The Conservative Party the Scottish National Party and Sinn Fein had no official position or a position of neutrality on either the issue or the legislation as it applied to England and Wales Senior Conservatives including David Cameron William Hague George Osborne and Theresa May supported the bill 101 102 however the issue was contentious in the party Just over half of Conservative MPs voted against in second reading 103 but polling showed that the majority of Conservative voters supported the bill 104 The Scottish National Party do not vote on English and Welsh matters and therefore did not take part in the second reading vote although the SNP led Scottish Government introduced a bill to allow same sex marriage in Scotland 103 Sinn Fein are abstentionist and therefore do not take their seats or vote in the House of Commons In 2012 the first Northern Ireland Assembly motion proposed by Sinn Fein and the Green Party of Northern Ireland calling for same sex marriage was defeated by the Democratic Unionist Party 105 On 11 December 2012 the government released its response to the consultation Of the 228 000 responses to the consultation via the online form email or correspondence 53 percent agreed that all couples regardless of their gender should be able to have a civil marriage ceremony 46 percent disagreed and one percent were unsure or did not answer the question 106 The government also confirmed that it separately received nineteen petitions from faith groups and organisations such as the Coalition for Marriage with over 500 000 signatures opposing same sex marriage 106 Legislation edit nbsp Map of MPs by their vote on the second reading of the Marriage Same Sex Couples Bill 5 February 2013 107 Labour Liberal Democrat Green Respect Plaid Cymru SDLP Alliance votes for 270 Conservative votes for 127 Conservative votes for both c 5 Conservative Democratic Unionist Independent Unionist votes against 146 Labour Liberal Democrat votes against 26 Did not vote 74 Seat vacant 2 On 11 December 2012 the Minister for Women and Equalities Secretary of State Maria Miller announced that the government would bring forward same sex marriage legislation for England and Wales in early 2013 106 109 In response to the consultation results the proposals were extended to allow religious organisations to opt into performing same sex marriages if they wish 106 and a quadruple lock of additional measures to put the protection of religious freedoms utterly beyond doubt 106 These are ensuring the legislation states explicitly that no religious organisation or individual minister can be compelled to marry same sex couples or to permit this to happen on their premises providing an opt in system for religious organisations who wish to conduct marriages for same sex couples which also allows individual ministers to continue to refuse to perform same sex marriage even when their religious organisation opts in amending the Equality Act 2010 to reflect that no discrimination claims can be brought against religious organisations or individual ministers for refusing to marry a same sex couple or allowing their premises to be used for this purpose and ensuring that the legislation will not affect the canon law of the Church of England or the Church in Wales i e unless canon law and the same sex marriage legislation are changed in future both churches will be legally barred from performing same sex marriages 106 The UK Government addressed consultation responses about the possibility that the European Court of Human Rights could force all churches to marry same sex couples stating 106 Both the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the rights enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights put the protection of religious belief in this matter beyond doubt We will draft the legislation to ensure that there is a negligible chance of a successful legal challenge in any domestic court or the ECtHR that would force any religious organisation to conduct marriages for same sex couples against their will Any possible claims would be brought against the Government rather than an organisation to ensure religious organisations would not have to use their resources to fight any legal challenges On 24 January 2013 the Marriage Same Sex Couples Bill was introduced to the Commons by Maria Miller and a full debate occurred at the second reading on 5 February 110 111 The bill retained some distinctions from marriage between a man and a woman e g in divorce proceedings adultery can only involve sexual conduct between two persons of the opposite sex while non consummation will not be grounds for annulment of a same sex marriage 112 On 5 February 2013 the bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons by 400 votes to 175 113 nbsp Members of the London Gay Men s Chorus outside the House of Lords celebrating the passage at third reading of the same sex marriage legislation 15 July 2013 The bill was examined in 13 sittings by the Marriage Same Sex Couples Bill Committee a public bill committee established to scrutinise the bill line by line The bill completed its committee stage on 12 March 2013 and had its report stage in the House of Commons on 20 21 May 2013 111 114 115 The third reading took place on 21 May and was approved by 366 votes to 161 116 with the bill receiving its first reading in the House of Lords the same evening 117 The bill had its second reading unopposed in the Lords on 4 June after a wrecking amendment proposed by Lord Dear was defeated by a vote of 390 148 thus allowing the bill to proceed to the committee stage 118 The bill passed its third reading in the House of Lords on 15 July 2013 119 and the Commons accepted all of the Lords amendments on the following day with royal assent by Queen Elizabeth II granted on 17 July 2013 120 On 10 December 2013 Miller announced that same sex marriage ceremonies would begin on 29 March 2014 in England and Wales 121 Couples wishing to be among the first to marry were required to give formal notice of their intention by 13 March 2014 17 As of 13 March 2014 couples who have entered into same sex marriages overseas are recognised as married in England and Wales 122 The parts of the law that allow civil partnerships to be converted into marriages and allow married people to change their legal gender while remaining married took effect on 10 December 2014 123 Same sex marriages in England and Wales began at midnight on 29 March 2014 1 Scotland editMain articles Same sex marriage in Scotland and Marriage and Civil Partnership Scotland Act 2014 Further information LGBT rights in Scotland Same sex marriage has been legal in Scotland since 16 December 2014 with the first same sex marriages occurring on 31 December 2014 124 125 The law provides that religious organisations and individual celebrants are under no obligation to perform marriage ceremonies for same sex couples though religious organisations are permitted to authorise their clergy to do so On 25 July 2012 the Scottish Government announced that it would legalise same sex marriage 126 The move was announced despite opposition by the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church in Scotland Although Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the move as the right thing to do she reassured churches that they would not be forced to perform same sex marriages 127 During the consultation phase ministers received over 19 000 messages from constituents about the issue 128 nbsp Wikinews has related news Scottish legislature gives green light to same sex marriage On 27 June 2013 the Scottish Government introduced same sex marriage legislation to the Scottish Parliament 129 130 On 4 February 2014 the Scottish Parliament held its final reading on the bill to permit same sex marriages The bill passed by a vote of 108 15 and received royal assent on 12 March 2014 131 The legislation allows religious and faith organisations to be exempted from having to conduct or be involved in same sex marriages if it contravenes their beliefs 132 The first same sex weddings occurred on 31 December 2014 though civil partnerships could be exchanged for marriage certificates from 16 December so the very first same sex marriages under Scottish law were recognised that day 133 Northern Ireland editMain article Same sex marriage in Northern Ireland See also LGBT rights in Northern Ireland Same sex marriage became legal in Northern Ireland on 13 January 2020 In previous years the Northern Ireland Assembly had voted on the issue on five occasions winning a majority for same sex marriage once Previously same sex marriages performed in England Wales and Scotland were recognised as civil partnerships in Northern Ireland 134 135 History edit Legislation to allow for the recognition of same sex marriages in Northern Ireland has been debated in the Assembly five times since 2012 On four of those occasions only a minority of assembly members voted in favour of same sex marriage though the most recent vote on the issue in November 2015 saw a majority of MLAs vote in favour of same sex marriage 136 On 27 April 2015 the Northern Ireland Assembly voted for the fourth time on the recognition of same sex marriage The motion for recognition was introduced by Sinn Fein and was defeated by a majority of 49 votes to 47 all Democratic Unionist DUP members in the Assembly voted against it while all Sinn Fein Green Party and NI21 members voted for it 137 138 On 2 November 2015 105 MLAs voted on a motion to recognise same sex marriage with 53 voting in favour and 52 voting against the first time same sex marriage had received majority support in the Assembly However the Democratic Unionist Party tabled a petition of concern preventing the motion from having any legal effect 136 139 Sinn Fein said that legislation regarding same sex marriage would be a priority for the party in the Assembly elected in May 2016 140 On 23 June 2016 Finance Minister Mairtin o Muilleoir announced he had requested that officials in the Northern Ireland Executive begin drafting legislation to allow same sex marriage stating that MLAs would much rather vote on the issue than be forced to legislate following an adverse judgment in the courts 141 In October 2016 First Minister Arlene Foster reaffirmed the DUP s opposition to same sex marriage saying the party would continue to issue a petition of concern blocking same sex marriage in the Assembly over the next five years 142 The DUP won fewer than 30 seats at the March 2017 elections meaning it lost the right to unilaterally block a bill using a petition of concern 143 Karen Bradley the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland stated in February 2018 that same sex marriage could be legislated for in Northern Ireland by the UK Parliament and that the government would likely allow a conscience vote for its MPs if such legislation was introduced 144 Labour MP Conor McGinn said he would introduce a private member s bill extending same sex marriage to Northern Ireland by the end of March 2018 145 The Marriage Same Sex Couples Northern Ireland Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 28 March 2018 and passed its first reading 146 147 The bill s second reading in the Commons was blocked by a Conservative MP on three occasions in 2018 148 149 An identical bill was introduced to the House of Lords on 27 March by Baron Hayward and passed its first reading that day 150 As both bills were private member s bills without government support they failed to progress any further In February 2019 Lord Hayward withdrew an amendment to an unrelated government bill which if passed would have extended same sex marriage to Northern Ireland on opposition from government Lords 151 On 1 November 2018 royal assent was granted to the Northern Ireland Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions Act 2018 which contains sections describing Northern Ireland s same sex marriage and abortion bans as human rights violations The law did not legalise same sex marriage in Northern Ireland but directed the British Government to issue guidance to civil servants in Northern Ireland in relation to the incompatibility of human rights with the region s laws on the two issues The law passed 207 117 in the House of Commons 152 153 2019 legalisation by Westminster edit Main article Northern Ireland Executive Formation etc Act 2019 nbsp Map of MPs by their vote on the amendment extending same sex marriage to Northern Ireland 154 Labour Liberal Democrat Scottish National Change UK Plaid Cymru Green Independent votes for 278 2 tellers Conservative votes for 105 Conservative Democratic Unionist votes against 73 2 tellers Absent Abstentionist Sinn Fein votes 190 Seat vacant 1 In July 2019 McGinn announced his intention to attach an amendment to an upcoming administrative bill relating to Northern Ireland which would legalise same sex marriage three months after passage of the bill if the Northern Ireland Assembly remained suspended Under the terms of the originally drafted amendment the region s executive could approve or repeal the measure upon resumption 155 The amendment passed in the House of Commons with 383 votes in favour and 73 votes against 156 157 McGinn s amendment which was further amended by Lord Hayward during passage in the House of Lords required the Secretary of State to issue regulations extending same sex marriage to Northern Ireland if the Assembly had not reconvened by 21 October 2019 If this occurred then the regulations would come into effect on 13 January 2020 158 The bill passed its final stages in the Parliament and received royal assent on 24 July 2019 becoming the Northern Ireland Executive Formation etc Act 2019 159 160 On 21 October 2019 31 unionist MLAs signed a petition to reconvene the Northern Ireland Assembly to pass legislation to keep abortion illegal The sitting was boycotted by Sinn Fein the Alliance Party the Green Party and People Before Profit and as a result the speaker Robin Newton ruled that the Assembly could not conduct business after an election unless a speaker could be elected on a cross community vote The sitting was therefore abandoned and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Julian Smith stated in the House of Commons that the British Government would issue the regulations as obliged 161 The regulations came into effect on 13 January 2020 5 162 and the first legal same sex wedding ceremony in Northern Ireland took place on 11 February 2020 between Robyn Peoples and Sharni Edwards Peoples in Belfast 6 163 Court challenges edit Two legal challenges to Northern Ireland s same sex marriage ban were heard in the High Court in November and December 2015 164 Two couples Grainne Close and Shannon Sickles and Chris and Henry Flanagan Kanem brought the case claiming that Northern Ireland s prohibition on same sex marriage breached their human rights The case was heard simultaneously with a case brought in January 2015 in which two men who wed in England sought to have their marriage recognised in Northern Ireland 164 A ruling was handed down in August 2017 Judge John Ailbe O Hara found against the couples and determined that there were no grounds under case law from the European Court of Human Rights that the couples rights were violated by Northern Ireland s refusal to recognise their union as a marriage One of the couples involved in the litigation who were granted anonymity said they would appeal the ruling 165 166 The appeal was heard by a three judge panel of the Court of Appeal on 16 March 2018 a ruling had been expected some time in 2019 167 On 7 April 2020 the Court of Appeal in Belfast ruled that same sex couples faced unjustified discrimination while denied the opportunity to marry in Northern Ireland But with changes to the law meaning same sex weddings can take place in Northern Ireland since 11 February 2020 senior judges decided not to make a formal declaration on any human rights breach 168 169 170 Public opinion edit A September 2014 LucidTalk poll for the Belfast Telegraph showed that 40 1 of the population supported same sex marriage while 39 4 opposed and 20 5 either had or stated no opinion Of those that gave an opinion 50 5 supported and 49 5 opposed same sex marriage 171 A poll in May 2015 found that 68 of the population supported same sex marriage with support rising to 75 in Belfast 172 A mass rally organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Amnesty International and the Rainbow Project took place in Belfast on 13 June 2015 173 with a 20 000 person turnout 174 A June 2016 poll placed support for same sex marriage at 70 while those opposing it at 22 175 An April 2018 poll put support for same sex marriage among Northern Ireland s population at 76 while 18 were opposed 176 Marriage statistics edit nbsp The first same sex wedding in Islington Greater London 29 March 2014 1 409 same sex marriages were performed between 29 March and 30 June 2014 with lesbian couples accounting for 56 of these marriages 177 By October 2015 approximately 15 000 same sex marriages had been performed in England and Wales Of these 7 366 were new marriages while 7 732 were conversions from civil partnerships 55 of these marriages were between female couples and 45 were between male couples 178 During that same time period the number of couples opting for civil partnerships fell significantly In Cheshire for example around 70 civil partnerships were recorded each year but in 2015 only 4 partnerships were performed in the county 179 462 same sex marriages were performed in Scotland in the first five months of legalisation accounting for 12 of all marriages performed during that time 180 Statistics published by the National Records of Scotland showed that 1 671 same sex marriages took place in Scotland in 2015 Of these 935 were conversions from civil partnerships and 736 were new marriages 181 The first same sex marriage for a member of the British royal family occurred on 22 September 2018 when Lord Ivar Mountbatten married his partner James Coyle at his private estate in Uffculme Mountbatten is through his father David Mountbatten the great great great grandson of Queen Victoria and a first cousin once removed of Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh His ex wife Penny Mountbatten walked him down the aisle 182 The following table shows the number of same sex marriages performed in England and Wales since March 2014 according to the Office for National Statistics The overwhelming majority of same sex marriages are performed in civil ceremonies there were 23 religious same sex marriages in 2014 44 in 2015 61 in 2016 43 in 2017 and 63 in 2018 In 2018 the average age of marriage for same sex partners was 40 4 years for men and 36 9 years for women Figures for 2020 are lower than previous years because of restrictions in place due to the COVID 19 pandemic Marriages in England and Wales Year Same sex marriages Conversions frompartnerships Opposite sex marriages Total marriages Female Male Total 2014 183 2 721 2 129 4 850 2 411 247 372 252 222 2015 184 3 633 2 860 6 493 9 156 239 020 245 513 2016 185 3 910 3 109 7 019 1 663 242 774 249 793 2017 186 3 884 3 048 6 932 1 072 235 910 242 842 2018 187 3 959 2 966 6 925 803 227 870 234 795 2019 188 3 861 2 867 6 728 578 213 122 219 850 2020 189 1 609 1 202 2 811 238 89 959 85 770 The 2021 United Kingdom census showed that there were 133 618 people in same sex civil partnerships and 268 522 married same sex spouses in England and Wales with Brighton and Hove having the highest proportion of same sex marriages of any city in England and Wales 190 Religious performance editMost major religious organisations in the United Kingdom do not perform same sex marriages in their places of worship Some smaller Christian denominations such as the Dutch Church in London 191 Quakers and Unitarians perform same sex marriages In addition Liberal Judaism and the Movement for Reform Judaism perform same sex marriages and campaigned in favour of legislation 192 Pagans also perform same sex marriages 193 In May 2016 the Oasis Church Waterloo in London applied for a licence that would allow it to conduct same sex marriages Pastor Steve Chalke said Oasis Church in Waterloo has reached the decision It s taken us some time to reach it that this is something we want to do 194 In June 2016 the Scottish Episcopal Church became the first British province in the Anglican Communion to take steps to allow same sex marriages to be performed in their churches The General Synod voted in favour of a motion to begin discussion amongst the seven dioceses to remove the doctrinal clause which stated that marriage was between a man and a woman The vote received support from five of seven bishops 69 of the clergy and 80 of the laity 195 The General Synod formally approved the change to the doctrinal clause in June 2017 removing language stating that marriages could only be between a man and a woman and introducing a new conscience clause which allows clergy to opt out of performing same sex weddings 196 On 20 July 2017 it was announced that a same sex wedding was to be held at St Mary s Cathedral in Glasgow later in the summer 197 On 1 August 2017 a same sex marriage which included the Eucharist as a nuptial mass was held at the Church of St John the Evangelist in Edinburgh The Scottish Episcopal Church is estimated to have 100 000 members and offers same sex marriage to other Anglicans including members of churches in England and the United States 198 199 In July 2016 the United Reformed Church voted overwhelmingly to allow its churches to perform same sex marriages The Church with 60 000 members and 1 400 congregations became the largest Christian denomination in the United Kingdom to offer same sex marriages at that time 200 In June 2021 the Methodist Church of Great Britain voted to permit same sex marriage in their places of worship The Methodist Conference voted 254 to 46 in favour of the move A freedom of conscience clause allows ministers with objections to opt out of performing same sex weddings With about 164 000 members and 4 000 churches the Methodist Church became the largest Christian denomination in the country to permit same sex marriages at that time 58 201 Among the first couples to wed were Jason and Ben McMahon Riley who married at the Fulwood Methodist Church in Preston Lancashire on 17 June 2021 202 The Catholic Church opposes same sex marriage and does not allow its priests to officiate at such marriages In December 2023 the Holy See published Fiducia supplicans a declaration allowing Catholic priests to bless couples who are not considered to be married according to church teaching including the blessing of same sex couples 203 The British Confraternity of Catholic Clergy released a statement on 21 December that the blessings outlined in Fiducia supplicans are theologically pastorally and practically inadmissible 204 Church of England edit In January 2023 bishops of the Church of England refused to support a change to permit same sex couples to marry in its churches However the bishops supported a prayers of dedication thanksgiving or for God s blessing for same sex couples following a civil marriage or partnership 205 The General Synod of the Church of England voted 250 181 to support the move in early February Archbishops Justin Welby and Stephen Cottrell said It has been a long road to get us to this point For the first time the Church of England will publicly unreservedly and joyfully welcome same sex couples in church The church continues to have deep differences on these questions which go to the heart of our human identity As archbishops we are committed to respecting the conscience of those for whom this goes too far and to ensure that they have all the reassurances they need in order to maintain the unity of the church as this conversation continues 206 Religious same sex marriage ceremonies in the Church of England are supported by some clergy including the Bishop of Oxford Steven Croft 207 and the Bishop of Reading Olivia Graham 208 In March 2023 Labour MP Ben Bradshaw introduced a bill to Parliament to allow in certain circumstances priests and parishes of the Church of England that wish to conduct same sex weddings to do so 209 A 2023 survey conducted by The Times showed that 53 of priests in the Church of England supported religious same sex marriage ceremonies in the church 210 On 15 November the General Synod voted to allow clergy to bless same sex marriages The measure which passed with a one vote majority took effect on 17 December 2023 211 212 Among the first couples to receive a blessing were Reverend Catherine Bond and Reverend Jane Pearce during Holy Eucharist on 17 December at St John the Baptist Church in Felixstowe Suffolk Reverend Canon Andrew Dotchin who offered the blessing described the couple s relationship as a pilgrimage graced by God s blessing 213 Church of Scotland edit In May 2018 the Church of Scotland voted to draft new laws that would allow ministers to conduct same sex marriages The motion was passed by the General Assembly by a vote of 345 to 170 The legal questions committee had two years to draft legislation In May 2021 the General Assembly voted 319 217 to approve the draft legislation The law includes safeguards for ministers opposed to performing same sex marriages The presbyteries voted 29 12 in support of the legislation in April and the General Assembly gave its final approval on 23 May 2022 by 274 votes to 136 Reverend Scott Rennie the minister of Queen s Cross Church in Aberdeen welcomed the move saying My marriage to my husband Dave nurtures my life and my ministry and frankly I do not think I could be a minister of this church without his love and support It is always there in the background Same sex marriage is like opposite sex marriage and it has its joys and sorrows its glories and its tensions It s pretty normal really The vote made the Church of Scotland the largest church in the United Kingdom to allow same sex marriages Church in Wales edit In September 2021 the Church in Wales voted to bless but not perform same sex marriages in the church The move was supported unanimously by the bishops while the clergy voted 28 to 12 in favor with two abstentions and the laity voted 49 to 10 with one abstention Gregory Cameron bishop of the Diocese of St Asaph said the decision was a huge step forward for the church and for us all in Wales The measure includes a conscience clause allowing individual clergy to decide whether or not to offer blessings 214 215 216 Cameron performed the first blessing of a same sex relationship on 13 November 2021 for Father Lee Taylor the Vicar of Llangollen and his partner Fabiano Da Silva Duarte 217 Consular marriage editFollowing the Consular Marriage and Marriages under Foreign Law Order 2014 a consular marriage may take place in those countries or territories outside the United Kingdom which have notified the Secretary of State in writing that there is no objection to such marriages taking place in that country or territory and which have not subsequently revoked that notice 218 Same sex consular marriages are possible in 26 countries Australia Azerbaijan Bolivia Cambodia Chile China including Hong Kong 219 Colombia Costa Rica the Dominican Republic Estonia Germany Hungary Japan Kosovo Latvia Lithuania Mongolia Montenegro Nicaragua Peru the Philippines Russia San Marino Serbia the Seychelles and Vietnam 220 221 240 consular same sex marriages were performed between June 2014 and the end of December 2015 An additional 140 couples converted their civil partnerships into marriages 222 Consular marriages for same sex couples were particularly popular in Australia prior to the country s legalisation of same sex marriage in 2017 445 couples had married in British consulates across Australia by October 2017 223 Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories editSame sex marriage is legal and performed in the three Crown Dependencies of Britain and in eight of the fourteen Overseas Territories Crown Dependencies edit Isle of Man Legislation allowing the performance and recognition of same sex marriage was approved by the House of Keys on 8 March 2016 and by the Legislative Council on 26 April 2016 224 225 The legislation was granted royal assent and went into effect on 22 July 2016 226 Guernsey The States of Guernsey approved a motion to legislate for the recognition and performance of same sex marriage in December 2015 227 The Same Sex Marriage Guernsey Law 2016 was approved by the States in September 2016 by a vote of 33 5 and gained royal assent on 14 December 2016 228 229 The law went into effect on 2 May 2017 230 231 The legislation does not extend to Guernsey s dependencies Alderney and Sark Alderney A bill to allow same sex marriage was approved by the States of Alderney on 18 October 2017 and received royal assent on 13 December 2017 232 The law came into effect on 14 June 2018 233 Sark On 17 December 2019 the Chief Pleas approved legislation mirroring the provisions of Guernsey s same sex marriage law 234 The bill received royal assent in the Privy Council on 11 March 2020 and came into effect on 23 April 2020 235 Jersey A motion to introduce legislation regarding same sex marriage was approved by the States Assembly in September 2015 236 A same sex marriage bill was eventually debated by the States on 1 February 2018 where it passed by a vote of 42 1 237 The law received royal assent on 23 May 2018 and went into effect on 1 July 2018 238 Overseas Territories edit Main article Recognition of same sex unions in the British Overseas Territories Of the fourteen British Overseas Territories same sex marriage is allowed in eight Akrotiri and Dhekelia the British Antarctic Territory the British Indian Ocean Territory the Falkland Islands Gibraltar the Pitcairn Islands Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Akrotiri and Dhekelia Same sex marriage has been recognised and performed in the Sovereign Base Areas since 3 June 2014 for UK military personnel only 239 The first same sex marriage was conducted in Dhekelia on 10 September 2016 240 Civil partnerships have also been allowed for military personnel since 7 December 2005 241 Bermuda On 5 May 2017 the Bermuda Supreme Court issued a ruling in favour of same sex marriage The ruling allowed several same sex couples to marry in Bermuda over the following months 242 However the Bermuda Parliament passed a law in December 2017 to replace same sex marriages with domestic partnerships 243 The law went into effect on 1 June 2018 On 6 June 2018 the Supreme Court revoked the parts of the law that banned same sex marriages but the decision was stayed pending appeal 244 which the government lost on 23 November 2018 245 On 14 March 2022 the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council upheld the government s appeal of the ruling ending the right to same sex marriage in Bermuda 246 British Antarctic Territory A same sex marriage ordinance has been in force since 13 October 2016 247 248 British Indian Ocean Territory A same sex marriage ordinance has been in force since 3 June 2014 249 Civil partnerships have also been allowed for military personnel since 7 December 2005 241 Cayman Islands Same sex civil partnerships are legal following the enactment of a partnership law by Governor Martyn Roper on 4 September 2020 250 However a suit by a same sex couple seeking access to same sex marriage was rejected by the Privy Council on 14 March 2022 246 Falkland Islands On 30 March 2017 the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands approved a bill legalising same sex marriage by a vote of 7 to 1 251 It received royal assent on 13 April and went into effect on 29 April 2017 252 Gibraltar On 26 October 2016 the Civil Marriage Amendment Act 2016 was passed in the Gibraltar Parliament with unanimous support from all 15 members present during the vote It received royal assent on 1 November and took effect on 15 December 2016 253 254 Pitcairn Islands An ordinance to recognise and perform same sex marriage was unanimously approved by the Island Council and signed by Governor Jonathan Sinclair on 5 May 2015 It was published on 13 May 2015 and took effect the next day 255 256 257 Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Same sex marriage is legislated for throughout the territory Ascension Island A same sex marriage ordinance was unanimously approved by all five present members of the Ascension Island Council on 31 May 2016 258 259 It was signed by Governor Lisa Honan and published in the official gazette on 20 June 260 On 23 December 2016 Honan issued an order to commence the law on 1 January 2017 261 262 Tristan da Cunha An ordinance extending the Ascension Island same sex marriage law to Tristan da Cunha was issued on 4 August 2017 263 Saint Helena The Legislative Council of Saint Helena passed a same sex marriage bill on 19 December 2017 it was given royal assent the next day 264 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Same sex marriage has been legal in the territory since 2014 265 266 Same sex marriage and civil partnerships are also not performed or recognised in Anguilla the British Virgin Islands Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands In July 2022 Lord Cashman introduced legislation to the House of Lords to legalise same sex marriage in the remaining six British Overseas Territories The bill would empower the Governor of each Territory to make changes to the law in the Territory to recognize the lawfulness of same sex marriage and allow for the solemnization of marriage of same sex couples It had its first reading in the House of Lords on 6 July 267 268 269 The Governor of the Cayman Islands Martyn Roper said the measure has little chance of progressing This is not the first attempt to extend same sex marriage rights to all British Overseas Territories in February 2019 a Foreign Affairs Select Committee report recommended extending same sex marriage laws in all territories with an Order in Council The Leader of the Opposition of the Turks and Caicos Islands Washington Misick accused the British Government of trying to neutralise the authority of the Caribbean territories MP Chris Bryant accused territories of wanting to have their cake and eat it by refusing to allow same sex marriages You want to be under the British umbrella but you do not want to be part of the British way of life 270 See also edit nbsp LGBT portal nbsp United Kingdom portal LGBT rights in the United Kingdom Same sex marriage in Scotland Same sex marriage in Northern Ireland Same sex marriage in Guernsey Same sex marriage in the Isle of Man Same sex marriage in Jersey Recognition of same sex unions in the British Overseas Territories Recognition of same sex unions in Europe He never marriedNotes edit Same sex marriage became progressively legal in Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha It has been legal in Ascension Island since 1 January 2017 in Tristan da Cunha since 4 August 2017 and in Saint Helena since 20 December 2017 Welsh Deddf Priodas Cyplau o r un rhyw 2013 pronounced dɛdv priˈɔdas ˈkeplai ɔr iːn r ɪu Cornish Lagha Demedhyans Koplow a n keth seks 2013 pronounced ˈlaehɐ deˈmɛdjɐnz ˈkɔplɔʊ aeːn keː8 sɛks i e they registered an abstention by voting both for and against the motion 108 References edit a b Same sex marriage now legal as first couples wed BBC News 29 March 2014 Archived from the original on 8 March 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2014 Date set for first same sex marriages in Scotland BBC News 13 October 2014 Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 Macnab Scott 16 December 2014 Same sex marriage becomes legal in Scotland The Scotsman Archived from the original on 2 January 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 First same sex weddings take place in Scotland BBC News 31 December 2014 Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 a b Same sex marriage now legal in Northern Ireland BBC News 13 January 2020 Archived from the original on 9 February 2020 Retrieved 13 January 2020 a b Media P A 11 February 2020 First same sex marriage takes place in Northern Ireland The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 11 February 2020 Retrieved 11 February 2020 Mendelson Sara H January 2008 Hunt Arabella 1662 1705 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 14190 Retrieved 14 March 2012 Subscription or UK public library membership required Harriet Sherwood 28 July 2018 Recognition at last for Gentleman Jack Britain s first modern lesbian The Guardian Retrieved 3 September 2018 Hyde v Hyde and Woodmansee L R 1 P amp D 130 United Settlement Archived from the original on 29 March 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 Brent Gail 1972 1973 Some Legal Problems of the Postoperative Transsexual Journal of Family Law 12 405 HC Deb 02 April 1971 vol 814 c 1829 Parliamentary Debates Hansard 2 April 1971 Archived from the original on 14 March 2016 Retrieved 29 April 2012 Cretney Stephen 2003 Family law in the twentieth century a history Oxford University Press pp 70 71 ISBN 0 19 826899 8 1 a Marriages between persons of the same sex Report on Nullity of Marriage PDF Law Reform Commission Reports Vol 9 Ireland Law Reform Commission October 1984 pp 4 8 Archived from the original PDF on 10 March 2016 Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 Legislation gov uk Section 11 c Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 4 March 2012 Marriage Scotland Act 1977 c 15 Office of Public Sector Information Archived from the original on 18 September 2012 Retrieved 31 August 2009 The Marriage Northern Ireland Order 2003 Office of Public Sector Information Archived from the original on 29 March 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 a b Same sex weddings to begin in March BBC News 10 December 2013 Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2013 Rozenberg Joshua 6 October 2005 All embracing partnership Act The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 29 March 2016 Retrieved 15 September 2009 Jones George 25 June 2004 Gay marriage Bill left in disarray The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 6 August 2009 House of Commons Standing Committee D pt 4 Parliament of the United Kingdom Archived from the original on 5 March 2016 Retrieved 15 September 2009 Hirsch Afua 9 December 2008 UK challenged the right to civil partnerships of gay couples abroad The Guardian Archived from the original on 13 March 2016 Retrieved 6 August 2009 Mayor congratulates couples planning to register as Civil Partners Mayor of London 15 December 2005 Archived from the original on 1 October 2011 Retrieved 31 December 2022 Couple challenge UK stance on Gay Marriage Liberty 11 August 2005 Archived from the original on 5 September 2008 Retrieved 7 September 2009 a b Lesbians lose legal marriage bid BBC News 31 July 2006 Archived from the original on 8 March 2016 Retrieved 11 August 2009 a b Murphy Megan 31 July 2006 British Lesbians Lose Bid to Validate Their Marriage Bloomberg News Archived from the original on 26 October 2012 Retrieved 30 October 2009 Wilkinson v Kitzinger amp Ors 2006 EWHC 2022 Fam 31 July 2006 paragraph 122 BAILII Archived from the original on 14 April 2013 Retrieved 30 March 2016 a b High Court Judge Endorses the Sexual Apartheid of Same Sex Marriage Ban UK Gay News 31 July 2006 Archived from the original on 5 March 2016 Retrieved 16 September 2009 Rozenberg Joshua 1 August 2006 Lesbians lose battle to have marriage recognised The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 30 October 2009 Wilkinson Sue Kitzinger Celia 2007 Editorial PDF Lesbian amp Gay Psychology Review Vol 8 No 1 equalmarriagerights org Archived from the original PDF on 5 March 2016 Retrieved 30 October 2009 Shoffman Marc 11 October 2006 Lesbian couple drop marriage appeal PinkNews Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 3 September 2009 Tatchell Peter 2 August 2006 Equality is still a dream The Guardian Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 30 October 2009 Equal Marriage The key aims of the campaign are to Equality network org Archived from the original on 25 November 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 George Osborne says Tories will consider gay marriage BBC News 11 April 2010 Archived from the original on 13 March 2016 Hope Christopher 11 April 2010 Chris Grayling row Conservatives to consider legalising gay marriage if they win power The Telegraph Archived from the original on 24 March 2016 Sanders James 12 April 2010 Tory party make no promises says George Osborne Pink Paper Archived from the original on 16 July 2011 Beckford Martin 4 May 2010 Gay couples could be allowed to marry under Tory election plans The Telegraph Archived from the original on 5 April 2016 Robb Simon 16 April 2010 Harriet Harman admits marriage equality still has a long way to go Pink Paper Archived from the original on 16 July 2011 Geen Jessica 5 May 2010 Exclusive Gordon Brown tells gay voters that support for Lib Dems will lead to a Tory victory PinkNews Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 a b The Government should go further than they currently plan on same sex marriage Cooper Labour Party 15 March 2012 Archived from the original on 3 December 2013 Retrieved 11 August 2012 Lib Dem Leader speaks up for same sex marriage LGBT Liberal Democrats 4 July 2009 Archived from the original on 13 March 2016 Retrieved 28 October 2009 LDEG s Antony Hook interviews Nick Clegg MP Liberal Democrat European Group 17 September 2009 Archived from the original on 20 March 2016 Retrieved 31 October 2009 Clegg Nick 4 July 2009 We must remain outspoken in defence of gay rights LabourList Archived from the original on 22 May 2015 Retrieved 30 March 2016 Marriage Without Borders LGBT Liberal Democrats 14 January 2010 Archived from the original on 5 March 2016 Retrieved 14 January 2010 Grice Andrew Taylor Jerome 13 January 2010 Clegg lays down law to Cameron on gay rights The Independent Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 29 January 2010 Nick Clegg A Liberal with Attitude LGBT Liberal Democrats 13 January 2010 Archived from the original on 9 February 2016 Retrieved 14 January 2010 Updated Lib Dems introduce LGBT manifesto but it doesn t include pledge of full gay marriage rights rights PinkNews 14 April 2010 Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Geen Jessica 19 July 2010 Deputy Lib Dem leader Simon Hughes says government will allow gay couples to marry PinkNews Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 30 March 2016 Equal Marriage in United Kingdom Liberal Democrats 21 September 2010 Archived from the original on 3 December 2013 Retrieved 16 June 2012 Lib Dems back same sex marriages Press Association 8 March 2010 Archived from the original on 9 March 2010 Retrieved 9 March 2010 Green Party calls for EU wide gay marriage PinkNews 22 May 2009 Archived from the original on 9 December 2013 Retrieved 31 October 2009 Quakers to allow gay marriages BBC News 30 July 2009 Archived from the original on 6 March 2016 Retrieved 28 October 2009 Gledhill Ruth 1 August 2009 Quakers back gay marriage and call for reform The Times Archived from the original on 8 April 2016 Retrieved 7 August 2009 Quakers Liberal Judaism and Unitarians welcome equal marriage consultation Britain Yearly Meeting 15 March 2012 Archived from the original on 27 December 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2013 Vasagar Jeevan 25 April 2012 Catholic church urges pupils to sign anti gay marriage petition The Guardian Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 11 August 2012 Littauer Dan 8 July 2012 Scotland Catholic Church declares war on gay marriage PinkNews Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 11 August 2012 Church of England warning on gay marriage BBC News 12 June 2012 Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 3 July 2012 Response to the government s consultation on same sex marriage June 2012 PDF Methodist Church of Great Britain June 2012 Archived from the original PDF on 13 March 2016 Retrieved 30 March 2016 a b Harriet Sherwood 30 June 2021 Methodist church to allow same sex marriage after historic vote The Guardian Archived from the original on 30 June 2021 Retrieved 30 June 2021 Muslims Defending Marriage website Muslim Council of Britain Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 3 July 2012 Rocker Simon 19 June 2012 Chief Rabbi will oppose gay marriage The Jewish Chronicle Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 3 July 2012 British Social Attitudes Homosexuality Archived 22 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine 2013 NatCen Mazzuca Josephine 12 October 2004 Gay Rights U S More Conservative Than Britain Canada Gallup Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 15 September 2009 Standard Eurobarometer 66 Autumn 2006 TNS Opinion amp Social PDF European Commission Archived from the original PDF on 6 March 2016 Retrieved 15 September 2009 Sex uncovered poll Homosexuality The Observer The Guardian 26 October 2008 Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 30 March 2016 The Observer Sex Survey PDF ICM Research Archived from the original PDF on 3 March 2012 Retrieved 15 September 2009 Bennett Rosemary 27 June 2009 Church out of touch as public supports equal rights for homosexuals The Times Archived from the original on 8 April 2016 Retrieved 15 September 2009 Gay Britain Survey PDF Populus Archived from the original PDF on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 27 July 2009 A Third of Americans Favour Same Sex Marriage Angus Reid 27 July 2010 Archived from the original on 27 July 2010 Retrieved 27 July 2010 Geen Jessica 12 August 2011 61 per cent of Scots support gay marriage PinkNews Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 30 March 2016 Two in Five Britons Endorse Same Sex Marriage PDF Angus Reid 3 August 2011 Archived from the original PDF on 15 June 2013 Retrieved 1 September 2011 Living together British attitudes to lesbian gay and bisexual peoplein 2012 PDF Stonewall Archived from the original PDF on 6 September 2015 Retrieved 13 June 2012 YouGov Sunday Times Survey Results PDF YouGov 16 December 2012 Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 19 December 2012 YouGov Sunday Times Survey Results PDF YouGov 12 May 2013 Archived from the original PDF on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 13 May 2013 YouGov Sunday Times Survey Results PDF YouGov 19 May 2013 Archived from the original PDF on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 19 May 2013 Same Sex Marriage Ipsos 7 21 May 2013 Archived from the original on 14 March 2016 Robert Pigott 28 March 2014 Gay weddings Fifth of Britons would turn down invitation BBC News Archived from the original on 26 March 2016 Retrieved 5 April 2014 C4 survey and documentary reveals What British Muslims Really Think Channel 4 11 April 2016 C4 Juniper Survey of Muslims 2015 PDF ICM Unlimited p 120 Archived from the original PDF on 10 April 2023 Special Eurobarometer 437 PDF Eurobarometer Archived from the original PDF on 22 January 2016 Retrieved 19 February 2016 Broadbent Emma Gougoulis John Lui Nicole Pota Vikas Simons Jonathan January 2017 What The World s Young People Think And Feel PDF Varkey Foundation Archived PDF from the original on 20 August 2019 Retrieved 14 April 2021 Two thirds of Brits would approve of a same sex royal wedding Archived 9 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine PinkNews 20 April 2018 Religion and society Archived 18 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine Pew Research Center 29 May 2018 Being Christian in Western Europe Archived 25 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine Pew Research Center 29 May 2018 Eastern and Western Europeans Differ on Importance of Religion Views of Minorities and Key Social Issues Archived 3 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine Pew Research Center 2017 Zatat Narjas 28 June 2018 The majority of British people support same sex marriage in Northern Ireland Indy 100 Archived from the original on 2 July 2018 Retrieved 2 July 2018 Eurobarometer on Discrimination 2019 The social acceptance of LGBTI people in the EU TNS European Commission p 2 Archived from the original on 16 February 2020 Retrieved 23 September 2019 Support for marriage of same sex couple YouGov Retrieved 22 June 2023 How people in 24 countries view same sex marriage Pew Research Center 13 June 2023 Perry Sophie 3 July 2023 Record number of Brits support same sex marriage 10 years after historic vote PinkNews Geen Jessica 16 September 2011 Government proposes introducing gay marriage after Cameron intervention PinkNews Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 29 April 2012 Grice Andrew 18 January 2012 Clegg We will defy anti gay marriage rebellion The Independent Archived from the original on 30 March 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Greens urge end to ban on same sex marriage Green Party 22 May 2009 Archived from the original on 5 March 2016 Retrieved 29 April 2012 Stamp Gavin 21 September 2010 Lib Dems call for end to barriers to gay marriage BBC News Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 29 April 2012 Equal Civil Marriage A Consultation Response Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales PDF Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales June 2012 Archived from the original PDF on 21 March 2015 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Leading Article David Cameron is right to back gay marriage The Times 5 March 2012 Archived from the original on 9 April 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Gay marriage torn asunder from reality The Guardian 27 February 2012 Archived from the original on 8 March 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Equal Partners The Independent Archived from the original on 26 December 2014 Retrieved 27 January 2013 Park James 16 January 2013 Majority of MPs indicate that they will vote for same sex marriage in England and Wales PinkNews Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 16 January 2013 Roberts Scott 26 October 2012 Nick Griffin Civil partnerships lead to death of children PinkNews Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 12 February 2013 Roberts Scott 16 November 2012 No intention to support same sex marriage says UKIP Pink News Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 17 April 2014 Smith Spark Laura Shubert Atika 5 February 2013 UK lawmakers approve same sex marriage in first vote CNN Archived from the original on 5 March 2016 Anthony Faiola 25 February 2011 British Conservatives lead charge for gay marriage The Washington Post Archived from the original on 10 March 2016 Retrieved 29 April 2012 a b Maddox David 5 February 2013 Same sex marriage vote goes through as Tories split The Scotsman Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 New poll Most Conservative voters support David Cameron s same sex marriage policy PinkNews 26 December 2012 Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 18 July 2013 McDonald Henry 1 October 2012 Northern Ireland assembly rejects motion on gay marriage The Guardian Archived from the original on 13 March 2016 a b c d e f g Equal marriage The Government s response PDF Government of the United Kingdom 11 December 2012 Archived from the original PDF on 31 March 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Marriage Same Sex Couples Bill 5 Feb 2013 at 18 52 Divisions 2010 present Westminster Public Whip 6 February 2013 Archived from the original on 23 March 2016 Retrieved 7 February 2013 Lowther Ed 5 March 2013 Yes but no but MPs who vote both ways BBC News Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 4 February 2014 five of his Michael Fabricant s Conservative colleagues voted both yes and no on the government s same sex marriage legislation in February Roberts Scott 11 December 2012 Government Churches will be able to marry gay couples from next year PinkNews Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 11 December 2012 Gay marriage MPs set to vote on proposals for the first time BBC News 24 January 2013 Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 a b Marriage Same Sex Couples Bill 2012 13 to 2013 14 Parliament of the United Kingdom Archived from the original on 22 March 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Marriage Same Sex Couples Act 2013 Schedule 4 The National Archives Archived from the original on 10 July 2015 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Gay marriage Legislation passes Commons despite Tory opposition BBC News 5 February 2013 Archived from the original on 27 February 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Parliamentary business for Monday 20 May 2013 Parliament of the United Kingdom Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 10 May 2013 Parliamentary business for Tuesday 21 May 2013 Parliament of the United Kingdom Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 10 May 2013 Gay marriage Commons passes Cameron s plan BBC News 21 May 2013 Archived from the original on 31 January 2016 Retrieved 21 May 2013 Lords Hansard text for 21 May 2013 Parliamentary Debates Hansard House of Lords 21 May 2013 col 834 Archived from the original on 29 March 2016 Marriage Same Sex Couples Bill First Reading Archived from the original on 9 March 2017 Retrieved 21 July 2022 McCormick Joseph Patrick 4 June 2013 House of Lords votes in favour of same sex marriage bill at second reading PinkNews Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 4 June 2013 Bingham John 15 July 2013 Gay marriage clears the House of Lords The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 24 March 2016 Same sex marriage becomes law in England and Wales BBC News 16 July 2013 Archived from the original on 5 February 2016 Retrieved 16 July 2013 First Same Sex weddings to happen from 29 March 2014 Government of the United Kingdom Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 16 January 2014 Duffy Nick 13 March 2014 Congratulations England and Wales begin to recognise overseas same sex marriages PinkNews Archived from the original on 14 March 2016 Retrieved 13 March 2014 Javid Sajid 26 June 2014 Sajid Javid I am pleased to announce that couples can soon convert civil partnerships to marriage PinkNews Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 27 June 2014 First same sex weddings take place in Scotland BBC News 31 December 2014 Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 21 July 2018 Scotland legalizes same sex marriage LGBTQ Nation 4 February 2014 Archived from the original on 18 February 2019 Retrieved 4 February 2014 Gay marriage to be introduced in Scotland BBC News 25 July 2012 Archived from the original on 6 February 2016 Retrieved 25 July 2012 Bussey Katrine Duncanson Hilary 25 July 2012 Scotland s gay marriage law to progress The Independent Archived from the original on 5 October 2018 Retrieved 18 July 2013 Ministers contacted over gay marriage more than Scottish independence referendum The Scotsman 11 May 2012 Archived from the original on 6 October 2018 Retrieved 4 February 2014 Marriage and Civil Partnership Scotland Bill Scottish Parliament Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 5 September 2015 Bill published to make same sex marriage legal in Scotland PinkNews 27 June 2013 Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 27 June 2013 Scotland s same sex marriage bill is passed BBC News 4 February 2014 Archived from the original on 13 May 2019 Retrieved 8 December 2018 Marriage and Civil Partnership Scotland Bill statement on the Equality Act 2010 Scottish Government 26 June 2013 Archived from the original on 15 January 2019 Retrieved 5 September 2015 Senzee Thom 16 December 2014 Scotland s Marriage Equality Starts Today The Advocate Archived from the original on 6 October 2018 Retrieved 5 September 2015 McBride Sam 26 June 2013 Assembly members vote to block gay marriage The News Letter Archived from the original on 23 March 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Same sex marriage law bid fails Belfast Telegraph 29 April 2013 Archived from the original on 3 April 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 a b McAdam Noel 2 November 2015 Northern Ireland MLA s vote yes for gay marriage but motion is torpedoed by DUP Belfast Telegraph Archived from the original on 15 January 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Payton Naith 27 April 2015 Northern Ireland Assembly rejects same sex marriage PinkNews Archived from the original on 13 March 2016 Retrieved 23 May 2015 Moriarty Gerry 27 April 2015 Assembly rejects motion on same sex marriage again The Irish Times Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 27 April 2015 Official Report Hansard PDF Northern Ireland Assembly 2 November 2015 Archived PDF from the original on 5 March 2017 Retrieved 5 March 2017 Refer to pp 1 18 Same sex marriage to be Sinn Fein s priority in the next Assembly session Belfast Telegraph 28 April 2016 Archived from the original on 10 April 2019 Retrieved 29 April 2016 Northern Ireland finance minister calls for gay marriage bill Stowe Family Law LLP 23 June 2016 Archived from the original on 21 August 2017 Retrieved 20 July 2016 Same sex marriage Arlene Foster criticised for childish online abuse comments BBC News 28 October 2016 Archived from the original on 24 January 2018 Retrieved 10 July 2019 NI Election DUP loses petition of concern power opening door for gay marriage Sinn Fein slashes lead to one seat Belfast Telegraph 4 March 2017 Archived from the original on 10 April 2019 Retrieved 4 March 2017 Same sex marriage could be introduced to Northern Ireland via Westminster Bradley Independent ie 20 February 2018 Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 23 February 2018 Labour MP to introduce Northern Ireland same sex marriage bill in March Belfast Telegraph 23 February 2018 Archived from the original on 10 April 2019 Retrieved 24 February 2018 Status and progress of the Marriage Same Sex Couples Northern Ireland No 2 Bill 2017 19 Services parliament uk 16 April 2018 Archived from the original on 26 August 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Text of the Marriage Same Sex Couples Northern Ireland No 2 Bill PDF Archived PDF from the original on 21 April 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Bid to introduce same sex marriage in Northern Ireland blocked Belfast Telegraph 11 May 2018 Archived from the original on 2 July 2018 Retrieved 13 May 2018 Voter Registration Bill 23 November 2018 Volume 649 Hansard parliament uk 23 November 2018 Archived from the original on 27 November 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 NI same sex marriage bill passes first stage in Lords Archived 16 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine BBC News 28 March 2018 Westminster bid to introduce same sex marriage to Northern Ireland is withdrawn The Irish News 2 March 2019 Archived from the original on 29 January 2020 Retrieved 4 March 2019 Northern Ireland equal marriage measure passed by MPs in symbolic vote Archived 27 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine PinkNews 24 October 2018 Northern Ireland Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions Act 2018 Services parliament uk Archived from the original on 27 November 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Northern Ireland Executive Formation Bill Committee of the whole House New Clause 1 McGinn CommonsVotes Archived from the original on 10 July 2019 Retrieved 11 July 2019 MPs in fresh attempt to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland The Guardian 2 July 2019 Archived from the original on 30 November 2019 Retrieved 3 July 2019 MPs vote to extend same sex marriage to Northern Ireland The Guardian 9 July 2019 Archived from the original on 16 November 2019 Retrieved 9 July 2019 Northern Ireland same sex marriage move backed by MPs BBC News 9 July 2019 Archived from the original on 9 July 2019 Retrieved 9 July 2019 Peers back NI same sex marriage and abortion reform BBC News 17 July 2019 Archived from the original on 25 July 2019 Retrieved 21 July 2019 Legislative Overview Northern Ireland Executive Formation etc Act 2019 Parliament of the United Kingdom Archived from the original on 24 December 2019 Retrieved 14 January 2020 Law liberalising abortion and same sex marriage in NI passes final stage The Irish Times 23 July 2019 Archived from the original on 4 September 2019 Retrieved 26 July 2019 NI parties fail in bid to stop abortion law change 21 October 2019 Archived from the original on 9 November 2019 Retrieved 21 October 2019 McGee Luke 13 January 2020 Same sex marriage is finally legal in Northern Ireland CNN Archived from the original on 13 January 2020 Retrieved 13 January 2020 Media P A 11 February 2020 Same sex marriage Couple make history as first in NI BBC News Archived from the original on 14 February 2020 Retrieved 11 February 2020 a b Northern Ireland s gay marriage ban Judgment reserved on legal challenge Belfast Telegraph 4 December 2015 Archived from the original on 11 March 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 High Court rejects legal challenge for equal marriage in Northern Ireland Pink News 17 August 2017 Archived from the original on 11 October 2018 Retrieved 17 August 2017 Summary of Judgement Judge Dismisses Same Sex Marriage Petition PDF courtsni gov uk 17 August 2017 Archived PDF from the original on 28 March 2020 Retrieved 21 July 2022 Judgment reserved on Northern Ireland couple s same sex marriage legal challenge Belfast Telegraph 16 March 2018 Archived from the original on 25 December 2019 Retrieved 21 March 2018 Ban on same sex marriage was unjustified discrimination Northern Ireland court rules Belfast Telegraph 7 April 2020 Archived from the original on 8 June 2020 Retrieved 8 June 2020 Court delivers same sex marriage judgment Summary of Judgment PDF Judiciary NI 7 April 2020 Archived PDF from the original on 17 April 2020 Retrieved 8 June 2020 Close Grainne and Shannon Sickles and Christopher Flanagan Kane and Henry Flanagan Kane s Application PDF Judiciary NI 7 April 2020 Archived PDF from the original on 16 July 2020 Retrieved 8 June 2020 Clakre Liam 3 October 2014 Slim majority in Northern Ireland supports same sex marriage law Belfast Telegraph Archived from the original on 8 December 2015 Retrieved 3 October 2014 Cromie Claire 6 July 2015 Gay marriage now has overwhelming support in Northern Ireland Belfast Telegraph Archived from the original on 4 April 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 McDonald Henry 24 May 2015 Northern Ireland under pressure after Irish gay marriage referendum win The Guardian Archived from the original on 25 May 2015 Retrieved 25 May 2015 The Irish Congress of Trade Unions will join Amnesty International and gay rights group the Rainbow Project to hold a mass rally in support of equal marriage rights on 13 June while a legal test case has also been lodged with Belfast s courts Thousands attend same sex marriage rally in Belfast Raidio Teilifis Eireann 13 June 2015 Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 15 June 2015 Survey shows 70 support for same sex marriages in Northern Ireland BelfastTelegraph co uk Belfasttelegraph co uk Archived from the original on 3 May 2019 Retrieved 29 June 2016 76 of Northern Ireland back marriage equality in latest poll Gaytimes co uk 9 April 2018 Archived from the original on 21 June 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 How many marriages of same sex couples have been formed in England and Wales so far Webarchive nationalarchives gov uk 21 August 2014 Archived from the original on 5 January 2016 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Gay marriage 15 000 same sex couples wed since law change Archived 27 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine BBC News Lydia Morris 14 September 2016 Civil partnerships in Cheshire almost disappear following new gay marriage law Chesterchronicle co uk Archived from the original on 12 September 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Mark McGivern 31 March 2015 One in eight marriages in Scotland are same sex according to new figures Dailyrecord co uk Archived from the original on 11 December 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 1 671 Scottish same sex marriages in 2015 Equality network org 14 March 2016 Archived from the original on 11 October 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Reynolds Daniel 17 June 2018 Get Ready for the First Gay Royal Wedding Retrieved 18 June 2018 Marriages in England and Wales 2014 Office for National Statistics 14 March 2017 Archived from the original on 22 August 2019 Retrieved 22 August 2019 Marriages in England and Wales 2015 Office for National Statistics 28 February 2018 Archived from the original on 25 July 2019 Retrieved 22 August 2019 Marriages in England and Wales 2016 Office for National Statistics 28 March 2019 Archived from the original on 19 April 2020 Retrieved 22 August 2019 Marriages in England and Wales 2017 Office for National Statistics 14 April 2020 Archived from the original on 8 June 2020 Retrieved 8 June 2020 Marriages in England and Wales 2018 Office for National Statistics 10 August 2021 Archived from the original on 24 August 2021 Retrieved 20 August 2021 Marriage cohabitation and civil partnerships Office for National Statistics www ons gov uk Archived from the original on 22 August 2019 Retrieved 12 July 2022 Marriages in England and Wales 2020 Office for National Statistics 11 May 2023 Archived from the original on 11 May 2023 Retrieved 2 December 2023 Robson Graham 3 November 2022 Census reveals Brighton amp Hove is same sex capital of England and Wales Gscene Nederlandse Kerk Gay marriage Dutchchurch org uk Archived from the original on 28 December 2017 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Reform Judaism backs gay marriage 7 March 2012 Archived from the original on 15 September 2016 Retrieved 10 July 2016 Same sex couple married in pagan first BBC News 19 January 2015 Pastor Steve Chalke of Oasis Church applies for licence to minister to same sex marriages Christiantoday com 11 May 2016 Archived from the original on 28 December 2017 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Scottish Episcopal Church takes gay marriage step BBC News 10 June 2016 Archived from the original on 8 April 2019 Retrieved 21 July 2018 Scottish Episcopal church votes to allow same sex weddings Guardian 8 June 2017 Archived from the original on 26 April 2019 Retrieved 9 June 2017 Perraudin Frances 20 July 2017 First same sex marriage at Anglican church in UK to be held this summer The Guardian Archived from the original on 6 December 2018 Retrieved 27 July 2017 Britain s first Anglican same sex marriage celebrated in a Scottish church Religion News Service 4 August 2017 Archived from the original on 6 August 2017 Retrieved 6 August 2017 Scottish Episcopal Church approves gay marriage BBC News 8 June 2017 Archived from the original on 5 October 2018 Retrieved 13 June 2017 May Callum 9 July 2016 United Reformed Church approves gay marriage services BBC News Archived from the original on 8 April 2019 Retrieved 21 July 2018 Harry Farley 1 July 2021 Methodist Church allows same sex marriage in momentous vote BBC News Archived from the original on 1 July 2021 Retrieved 1 July 2021 McGee Sarah 20 June 2022 Preston Same sex couple among first to get married in a Methodist Church Lancashire Telegraph Flynn JD 22 December 2023 Is the false narrative narrative a false narrative The Pillar Archived from the original on 23 December 2023 Retrieved 23 December 2023 Coppen Luke 19 December 2023 Fiducia supplicans Who s saying what The Pillar Church of England bishops refuse to back gay marriage BBC News 18 January 2023 Sherwood Harriet 9 February 2023 Church of England votes in favour of blessings for same sex unions The Guardian Bishop of Oxford says church should marry gay couples BBC News 2 November 2022 Burgess Kaya 3 November 2022 Bishop becomes most senior Church figure to back same sex marriage The Times ISSN 0140 0460 Retrieved 3 November 2022 Perry Sophie 23 March 2023 Labour MP introduces bill to allow same sex marriages in Church of England PinkNews Topping Alexandra 30 August 2023 Most Church of England priests back gay marriage survey finds The Guardian Browning Bil 16 November 2023 Church of England will try out blessing same sex marriages LGBTQ Nation Farley Harry 16 November 2023 Church of England backs services for gay couples BBC News Paulsen David 17 December 2023 Same sex couples receive blessings for first time in Church of England Episcopal News Service Church in Wales to give blessings for same sex marriages BBC News 6 September 2021 Archived from the original on 6 September 2021 Retrieved 7 September 2021 Sherwood Harriet 6 September 2021 Church in Wales votes to bless same sex marriages The Guardian Archived from the original on 8 September 2021 Retrieved 9 September 2021 Alcindor Nicole 8 September 2021 Church in Wales to allow pastors to bless same sex marriages won t conduct gay weddings Christian Post Archived from the original on 9 September 2021 Retrieved 9 September 2021 Evans Arron 14 November 2021 Bishop blessed vicar s civil partnership at special Llangollen service North Wales Chronicle Archived from the original on 5 December 2021 Retrieved 5 December 2021 The Consular Marriages and Marriages under Foreign Law Order 2014 The National Archives Archived from the original on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 1 January 2015 LCQ7 Provision of same sex marriage registration services by foreign consulates www info gov hk Archived from the original on 27 October 2018 Retrieved 29 May 2020 Same sex couples will now be able to marry at British Consulates in 25 countries Government of the United Kingdom Archived from the original on 1 January 2015 Retrieved 1 January 2015 First same sex couple to marry in Seychelles at British High Commission Pinknews co uk 12 June 2015 Archived from the original on 16 June 2018 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Human Rights amp Democracy Archived 7 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine Foreign and Commonwealth Office Same sex couple tie the knot in Australia using marriage equality loophole PinkNews 27 October 2017 Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 5 June 2018 08 Mar 2016 House of Keys Hansard PDF Tynwald Archived from the original PDF on 10 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Isle of Man same sex marriage bill approved BBC 26 April 2016 Archived from the original on 28 April 2016 Retrieved 21 July 2018 From Friday same sex couples will be able to get married in the Isle of Man IOMToday 19 July 2016 Archived from the original on 19 July 2016 Retrieved 19 July 2016 Same sex marriage gets Guernsey States approval BBC News 10 December 2015 Archived from the original on 31 January 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Orders approved at Privy Council held by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 14th December 2016 PDF Privy Council of the United Kingdom p 18 Archived from the original on 15 December 2016 Retrieved 15 December 2016 Strudwick Patrick 21 September 2016 This Tiny Island Has Just Voted To Introduce Same Sex Marriage BuzzFeed Archived from the original on 26 September 2016 Retrieved 26 September 2016 Same Sex Marriage Now Legal Island FM 26 April 2017 Archived from the original on 26 April 2017 Retrieved 26 April 2017 The Same Sex Marriage Guernsey Law 2016 Commencement Ordinance 2017 Guernsey Legal Resources Archived from the original on 26 April 2017 Retrieved 26 April 2017 List of Business Part 2 PDF 14 December 2017 Archived from the original PDF on 14 December 2017 Retrieved 15 December 2017 Same sex marriage legalised in Alderney ITV Channel Television 13 June 2018 Archived from the original on 13 June 2018 Retrieved 13 June 2018 Sark becomes last British Isle to allow same sex marriage BBC 18 December 2019 Archived from the original on 18 December 2019 Retrieved 18 December 2019 Orders Approved and Business Transacted at the Privy Council Held by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 11th March 2020 PDF Archived PDF from the original on 13 March 2020 Retrieved 13 March 2020 Jersey States supports same sex marriage BBC News 22 September 2015 Archived from the original on 5 February 2016 Retrieved 31 March 2016 Equal marriage legislation passed by Jersey politicians ITV News 1 February 2018 Archived from the original on 30 March 2019 Retrieved 1 February 2018 Jersey to introduce same sex marriage from 1 July BBC News 27 June 2018 Archived from the original on 27 March 2019 Retrieved 28 June 2018 Overseas Marriage Armed Forces Order 2014 PDF Archived PDF from the original on 13 October 2018 Retrieved 8 October 2016 Soldier weds partner to become first same sex couple to marry on a British military base Mirror 7 October 2016 Archived from the original on 8 June 2020 Retrieved 8 June 2020 a b Civil Partnership Armed Forces Order 2005 PDF Archived PDF from the original on 13 October 2018 Retrieved 8 October 2016 Landmark same sex ruling The Royal Gazette 5 May 2017 Archived from the original on 9 May 2017 Retrieved 5 May 2017 Bermuda to ban same sex marriage months after it was legalised The Guardian 14 December 2017 Archived from the original on 13 May 2019 Retrieved 15 December 2017 Summary Judgment Ferguson et al v Attorney General PDF Supreme Court of Bermuda 6 June 2018 Archived PDF from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 8 June 2018 Farge Emma Bermuda top court reverses government s gay marriage ban U S Archived from the original on 30 March 2019 Retrieved 24 November 2018 a b Bermuda s ban on same sex marriage is allowed UK judges rule The Guardian 14 March 2022 Archived from the original on 14 March 2022 Retrieved 14 March 2022 The Marriage Ordinance 2016 PDF Archived PDF from the original on 20 October 2016 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Review of British Antarctic Territory legislation changes to the marriage and registration ordinances Publications GOV UK Archived from the original on 30 March 2019 Retrieved 20 October 2016 Overseas Marriage Armed Forces Order 2014 PDF Legislation gov uk 28 April 2014 Archived PDF from the original on 13 October 2018 Retrieved 8 October 2016 Civil partnerships now legal in the Cayman Islands Cayman Islands Headline News Cayman News Service 4 September 2020 Archived from the original on 30 September 2020 Retrieved 7 September 2020 RECORD OF THE MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY HELD AT NORTH ARM 30 MARCH 2017 Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands pp 38 45 Archived from the original PDF on 28 April 2017 Retrieved 28 April 2017 Marriage Ordinance 1996 Amending Legislation Marriage Amendment Ordinance 2017 Ord 6 17 Falkland Islands Legislation 31 July 2017 Archived from the original on 2 August 2017 Retrieved 2 August 2017 Civil Marriage Amendment Act 2016 No 22 of 2016 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 27 March 2017 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Civil Marriage Amendment Act 2016 Notice of Commencement PDF Archived from the original PDF on 27 March 2017 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Same Sex Marriage and Civil Partnerships Ordinance 2015 PDF Government of the Pitcairn Islands Archived from the original PDF on 7 January 2016 Retrieved 16 February 2016 Pacific s tiny Pitcairn Island legalises same sex marriage Yahoo News Agence France Presse 25 June 2015 Archived from the original on 16 February 2016 Retrieved 16 February 2016 Pitcairn Island population 48 passes law to allow same sex marriage The Guardian Associated Press 22 June 2015 Archived from the original on 15 December 2015 Retrieved 16 February 2016 Island Council Report 31 May 2016 PDF Government of Ascension Island Archived from the original PDF on 23 June 2016 Retrieved 23 June 2016 MINUTES OF THE ASCENSION ISLAND COUNCIL AIC PDF Ascension island gov ac Archived from the original PDF on 27 August 2016 Retrieved 23 November 2016 Marriage Ascension Ordinance 2016 PDF Ascension island gov ac Archived PDF from the original on 14 February 2017 Retrieved 23 November 2016 The St Helena Government Gazette No 111 2016 PDF Archived PDF from the original on 4 January 2017 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Marriage Ascension Commencement Order 2016 PDF Archived PDF from the original on 13 January 2017 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Tweet from Governor Lisa Phillips Archived from the original on 4 August 2017 Retrieved 4 August 2017 Same sex marriage approved for St Helena opponent calls for society to embrace the result St Helena Online 19 December 2017 Archived from the original on 15 May 2019 Retrieved 20 December 2017 Local laws and customs South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands British Overseas Territory travel advice GOV UK www gov uk Archived from the original on 31 July 2019 Retrieved 20 January 2018 Visitors Government of South Georgia amp the South Sandwich Islands www gov gs Archived from the original on 6 June 2018 Retrieved 20 January 2018 Marriage Same Sex Couples Overseas Territories Bill HL www bills parliament uk Retrieved 17 July 2022 UK legislation could pave way for same sex marriage in overseas territories Caribbean National Weekly 8 July 2022 Archived from the original on 9 July 2022 Retrieved 17 July 2022 Conolly Norma 6 July 2022 UK Parliament to consider bill to legalise same sex marriage in Overseas Territories Cayman Compass Archived from the original on 7 July 2022 Retrieved 17 July 2022 Handy Gemma 15 July 2022 UK Same Sex Bill sparks contention Equality is possible without gay marriage Premier Turks and Caicos Weekly News Archived from the original on 15 July 2022 Retrieved 17 July 2022 Further reading editSmart Carol Heaphy Brian Einarsdottir Anna 2013 Same sex marriages new generations new relationships Genders and sexualities in the social sciences Houndmills Basingstoke Hampshire Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 9780230300231 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Same sex marriage in the United Kingdom amp oldid 1218708736, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.