There are some very good reasons why conservatives should back gay marriage. Left Foot Forward has come up with five.
A spectre is cruising Europe, the spectre of gay marriage. This afternoon MPs will vote on whether to allow gay marriage in the UK.
This should not, however, be seen purely as a cause of the left. There are some very good reasons why conservatives (both big and small C) should back gay marriage:
1. If you believe the institution of marriage forms the backbone of a stable, prosperous society, why on earth would you wish to prevent consenting adults tying the knot?
Either you believe marriage is good for society or you don’t. If it’s the former, the gender of those getting hitched should be irrelevant.
2. It’s a vote winner.
According to a December poll, more than three in five voters back gay marriage. Of Britain’s 3.7 million lesbian, gay and bisexual people, 91 per cent back it.
3.It institutionalises something that’s already occurring.
With the creation of civil partnerships in 2004, same-sex couples can already form a union and receive the same rights as married straight couples. Instead of a parallel system which potentially undermines marriage, why not open up marriage to all?
4.It could revitalise marriage.
The number of couples getting married in the UK has been falling steadily since the 1970s, with a majority of the population now single, divorced or widowed. And yet there are lots of people who passionately want to get married but who are at present prevented from doing so. Their enthusiasm for the institution of marriage could be contagious. First, though, they must be allowed to marry.
5.It keeps the Liberal Democrats happy.
The Lib Dems are reeling at the moment. The chancellor cursorily dismissed the prospect mansion tax in his autumn statement, and it looks like House of Lords reform has been kicked into the long grass. Why needlessly antagonise them further when you can give them gay marriage?
The vote on same-sex marriage takes place this afternoon.
17 Responses to “Five reasons conservatives should support gay marriage”
LB
Is this in the same way that you opposed democracy and boundary reform?
One reason you should support it – its democracy.
However you opposed it for personal gain.
Newsbot9
Nope, gerrymandering is not democracy
Your Tories got too greedy, if you’d agreed 7.5% variance everyone would have supported it. Instead you went for 5%, which favours your Tories. And it failed because of that.
It’s a broken system anyway, given it’s not based on actual population.
LB
It’s broken in lots of ways.
1 Unequal size of constituencies is the major issue.
2. If you’re party loses, you’ve got bugger all say. the 50%+1 screw the rest with their agenda.
3. Manifestos are bundles, and you should have a say on issues.
Consider the gay marriage as just one example. Goes to a referenda. If majority vote yes, its in. If they vote no, its no. It’s called democracy. The will of the people.
Now for the marriage bit, my preferred solution is the state gets out of the marriage business. Just as it should get out of the religion business. If you want to get married, its a civil contract. You agree the rules, sign the contract. Anglican, catholic, muslim, what ever.
Selohesra
Can anyone tell me what Gay Marriage offers that Civil Partnership doesn’t? – I was in favour of civil partnerships but not sure further change is necessary (but happy to reconsider if I could understand what extra right was being sought)
Newsbot9
1. They’re still unequal under the Tory plan. Like most countries, we should be doing it on the census, not a voter count.
2. Yes, that’s your Tories FPTP system. I favour PR myself.
3. Yes yes, you oppose representative democracy and want to buy lies on the TV, right. I agree with Altee and Thatcher, not you. The tyranny of the majority is still a tyranny, rules are needed.
And yes, you can copy/paste my posts. Well done.