A review of the comment in the media
Gay marriage: Church of England signals it could ‘live with’ Government plans
Telegraph.co.uk – She told the Commons that any legislation would explicitly state that it would be “illegal” for the Church of England to conduct same-sex weddings even if they become law in the country. But in its first official response to the announcement, the …
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9740275/Gay-marriage-Church-of-England-signals-it-could-live-with-Government-plans.html
UK Catholic Prelates Speak Out on Government Response to Same-Sex Marriage Consultation
Archbishop Vincent Nichols and Archbishop Peter Smith, president and vice-president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales respectively, released a joint statement following the British government’s response to the same-sex marriage consultation.
The government yesterday released its response to the “Equal Civil Marriage” consultation, announcing that the government would be pushing forward legislation in 2013 to legally redefine marriage in such a way as to allow same-sex couples to marry.
In their statement, also released yesterday, Archbishops Nichols and Smith asserted: “The meaning of marriage matters. It derives that meaning from its function as the foundation of the family. The union of one man and one woman for love and mutual support and open to procreation has over the centuries formed a stable unit we call the family. Marriage is the enduring public recognition of this commitment and has been rightly recognized as unique and worthy of legal protection.
http://www.zenit.org/article-36163?l=english
PM’s faith minister attacks gay marriage law: Warsi claims equality could have string of ‘unintended consequences’
Mailonline – Baroness Warsi has broken ranks on gay marriage to warn it could have a string of ‘unintended consequences’
The minister for faith has broken ranks on gay marriage to warn that David Cameron’s controversial legislation could have a string of ‘unintended consequences’.
In a letter leaked to the Daily Mail, Baroness Warsi suggests schools could be required to teach about same-sex unions, while individual priests and churches who refuse to conduct them risk being sued.
Her intervention will embolden more than 100 Tory MPs who are threatening to vote against the legislation in the New Year.
Writing to Culture Secretary Maria Miller, who unveiled the planned legislation on Tuesday, Lady Warsi raises a series of questions about the change in the law.
She demands ‘clarity’ on how the new law will properly ‘protect religious freedom’ and asks: ‘What legal support will be afforded to churches and other places of worship if they’re challenged individually or as an organisation?’
Lady Warsi, who attends Cabinet and is also senior minister for the Foreign Office, asks what legal advice the Government has received in relation to the compatibility of gay marriage legislation with ‘domestic and European law’.
Most contentiously, the peer, who held talks on the issue this week with Church of England leaders, asks: ‘What consideration has been given to the teaching of equal marriage in schools, both faith schools and non-faith schools?’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2247266/Gay-marriage-law-Baroness-Warsi-claims-equality-string-unintended-consequences.html
Is gay marriage a ‘clause IV moment’ for Cameron?
Guardian – Tories are reportedly deserting the party in droves over gay marriage so tell us if this is make or break time for Cameron
The government’s plans to introduce gay marriage by 2014 is being dubbed the prime minister’s “clause IV moment”, amid reports that Conservative associations are losing members in droves and claims from MPs that David Cameron is imperilling “the entire political credibility” of the Tory party.
Cameron, trying to lighten the tension of modernisation and appease more than 100 Tory MPs planning to vote against the legislation, outlined a new “quadruple lock” that will make it illegal for gay marriage ceremonies to be conducted by the churches of England and Wales (which Giles Fraser says is a “cause worth going to prison for”). But it doesn’t seem to have worked: the Daily Mail says that, in “stormy scenes” in the Commons, “furious Tory MPs have warned the legislation would … cost the party votes”; the Times says Cameron has been accused of “selling out”; while Dan Hodges in the Telegraph reckons it’s a red line for the prime minister and the paper’s editorial says of this “culture war”: “Cameron may come to rue the day he embarked on this reform”.
The rights and wrongs of the government’s legislation aside, how serious a moment is this for Cameron’s leadership and the future of the Tory party? Is it comparable to Tony Blair’s fight over clause IV of the Labour party constitution?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/12/gay-marriage-clause-4-moment-cameron
Gay marriage will damage Tory credibility says MP
Senior Tory MP Brian Binley has warned in an open letter to David Cameron that the gay marriage agenda risks alienating the Conservative Party’s base ahead of the next general election.
The Government outlined its plans to redefine marriage during a debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
It was announced that under changes to the law, same-sex marriages would be illegal in the Church of England and Church in Wales, while other religious organisations would be able to “opt in” to offering the ceremonies.
The plans also make it unlawful for religious organisations or their ministers to wed same-sex couples unless their governing bodies have opted in.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/gay.marriage.will.damage.tory.credibility.says.mp/31236.htm
Simon Callow: Banning the Church of England from same-sex marriage is a …
PinkNews.co.uk – Simon Callow has described the government’s decision to ban the Church of England from conducting same-sex marriages as “a bit bewildering” and a “sort of medieval idea”. He was asked on the Daily Politics on BBC2 about the plans which would …
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/12/12/simon-callow-banning-the-church-of-england-from-same-sex-marriage-is-a-medieval-idea/