High Peak Liberal DemocratsLeader of the Scottish LIb Dems, WIllie Rennie MSP, addressed the issue of same-sex marriage in his speech to the Scottish Lib Dem Autumn Conference this weekend. He said:
Scottish Lib Dems will stand up for equality
[...] What's also unacceptable to liberals is the control that some leaders of the Catholic Church are seeking to exert over people of the Catholic faith.
I have the utmost respect for the work of the Catholic Church in so many areas.
But to threaten to invoke some sort of block vote is an affront to a liberal democracy and one that we must challenge.
Many individual Catholics have told me they will not be following their leaders against the issue of equality for same sex marriage.
We are not imposing anything on the Church, so what I find difficult is that they want to impose on everyone else.
A liberal Scotland is where everyone can have their own freedom of thought and belief.
Over six in ten people support same-sex marriage, so to threaten politicians with the votes of 800,000 people of the Catholic faith may backfire on the church.
Ten years ago politicians stood firm against those who threatened the parliament over Section 28.
Liberal Democrats will stand for what is right and fair again.
Challenging an organisation with 800,000 followers may seem difficult but we are prepared to be awkward to stand up for what we believe to be right.
I believe we are right on all this.
We can be proud to tread the liberal road.
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