LGBT+ Lib Dems statement on Equal Marriage Campaigning (High Peak Liberal Democrats)

High Peak Liberal Democrats <info@highpeaklibdems.org.uk>

LGBT+ Lib Dems statement on Equal Marriage Campaigning

January 17, 2012 9:46 AM
Originally published by LGBT+ Liberal Democrats

LGBT Lib Dems have been campaigning for marriage equality

LGBT+ Liberal Democrats has responded to news this morning of a Conservative rebellion over plans to introduce equal civil marriage, which were announced in September by Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone.

Chair Adrian Trett said, "As the only major party to support equal marriage, we will continue to work hard to bring it about, working with supporters from all parties and none."

Nick Clegg MP, leader of the Liberal Democrats and Deputy Prime Minister, has responded to the news in the Independent newspaper saying, "There is absolutely no question of the Coalition Government abandoning our commitment to legalise gay marriage. I wholeheartedly reject the idea that making civil marriage open to same-sex couples somehow devalues the institution of marriage. I would argue the opposite - it makes it stronger."

LGBT+ Liberal Democrats have been campaigning on equal marriage. The Liberal Democrats became the first major party to support equal marriage in September 2010, following a Federal Conference debate on a motion by LGBT+ Liberal Democrats, a party body with policy-proposing powers. Equal marriage was already policy of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and Liberal Youth Scotland have been campaigning in the recent consultation there.Recently, Glasgow's Liberal Democrat councillors adopted support for marriage equality as council policy.