Daily Mail Criticises Nick Clegg Over Gay Marriage Vote

TABLOID newspaper the Daily Mail has criticised Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg for not allowing his MPs a free vote on gay marriage.

It recently emerged that David Cameron would allow his MPs a free vote on gay marriage when the issue comes before parliament. The free vote means MPs would not have to “tow the party line” and would be able to vote according to their own view on the issue. The move by Cameron was likely prompted by wide-spread opposition within the Tory party to the possible introduction of same-sex marriages.

Nick Clegg was critical of Cameron’s decision to allow his MPs a free vote on the issue and revealed Liberal Democrats would not be afforded the same ‘luxury’. However, support for marriage equality within the Lib Dems is near universally with the party having pledged to introduce marriage equality in their election manifesto. Therefore there is less likely to be MPs within the Lib Dems who would vote against marriage equality.

However, despite the strong support for marriage equality within the Lib Dem party tabloid newspaper the Daily Mail is critical of Clegg in an editorial. The newspaper disagrees with Clegg’s decision not to allow his MPs a free vote on gay marriage which is hardly surprising as the tabloid, along with the Daily Telegraph, is against marriage equality.

“In an imperious display of illiberalism, Nick Clegg is denying his MPs a free vote on the hugely complex moral question of gay marriage.” The paper goes on to claim it supports Civil Marriages “The Mail supports civil partnerships. But how can marriage be anything other than a matter for MPs’ consciences?”

The Daily Mail isn’t exactly known for his support for LGBT rights in the past. Several of its columnists have fallen foul of the LGBT community over the years. Melanie Phillips was named Stonewall Bigot of the Year last November for comments in her Daily Mail columns while Jan Moir’s controversial column on the death of Irish singer Stephen Gately prompted thousands of complaints – Moir won the Bigot of the Year award in 2009.

While the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph oppose same-sex marriage The Independent, the London Evening Standard, The Guardian and The Times (though notably NOT the Sunday Times) have all declared their supported for marriage equality.