Nick Clegg promises gay marriages by 2015

Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has promised his party the first gay marriage will take place in the UK by 2015.

Clegg was speaking to his party at its Spring Conference in Gateshead. The coalition government – which the Liberal Democrats are members of – will hold a consultation this month on legalising civil gay marriage. The plans have met with vocal opposition from religious leaders – mostly within the Catholic Church but also the Church of England – but polls have put public support for gay marriage as being in the majority.

Pink News reports that Clegg told his party ‘We are bringing forward proposals for gay marriage, already provoking debate. Let me just say, if you are a young gay person, your freedom to love who you choose is a fundamental right in a liberal society – and you will always have our support.’ Adrian Trett, of LGBT + Lib Dems, said the party was ‘the first and currently only major party to support marriage equality’

While David Cameron supports gay marriage there are those within his party who do not and have already spoken out against the plans to legalise same sex marriages. While many within the labour party support gay marriage – including its leader, Ed Miliband – there are some who are also opponents.

The Times newspaper has declared its support for gay marriage while broadsheet rival the Daily Telegraph is against it believing it will ‘undermine’ the ‘traditional’ family.

[Via Pink News] {jcomments off}