The departure of
Lynne Featherstone from her position as Minister for Equalities will raise
uncertainty about equal marriage plans.
Lynne Featherstone has driven forward the
Coalition’s policy on equal marriage and is to be congratulated. I wish her well
in her new post at the Department of Department of International Development.
Homosexual acts are still illegal in 78 countries and the rights of women need
to be promoted in all parts of the world.
This is a crucial time for the Coalition’s
proposals on equal marriage. The consultation is closed and we await the
Government’s response later this year. This change of Equalities Minister will
therefore bring uncertainty which will be enhanced by the move of
responsibilities for the women and equalities portfolio from the Home Office to
the Department of Culture Media and Sport.
Recently there have been indications that the
Government may bring forward proposals to allow equal religious marriage for
faiths who wish to pursue this as well as equal civil marriage and I hope that
this more positive approach is not quietly rolled
back.
The Deputy Prime Minister is holding a
Reception next week (11 September 2012 at 1 Carlton Gardens
Posts
The appointment of Maria Miller with responsibility for equalities with Helen Grant in the post formerly held by Lynne Featherstone may act as a brake on the precipitate introduction of legislation,whatever the result of the consultation ; Maria Miller has been reticent in this are in the past and Helen Grant's views are unknown ; she has obviously been appointed to focus primarily on issues of ethnic discrimination.The PM may well be looking at the result of the forthcoming Corby by-election ( a Conservative marginal)before the drafting of a bill ; for those of us within Unitarian circles who feel that gay marriage has become too dominant a theme in the denomination recently, the reshuffle may bring more time and space for reflection.
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