BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS APPROVES GAY MARRIAGE
The British House of Commons, the lower house
of the British Parliament voted overwhelmingly on
February 5, 2013 to approve a Bill legalising same-sex
marriage in Britain, indicating that the Bill is assured of
passage as it moves through legislative stages.
But in a major setback for Prime Minister
David Cameron, who championed the measure, it
appeared that more than half of the lawmakers in his
Conservative Party voted against it or abstained.
After a six-hour debate, the Commons vote was
400 to 175 for the bill. The legislation, which
applies to England and Wales, would permit civil marriage
between same-sex couples, but specifically exempt the
Church of England and other faiths from an obligation to
perform such ceremonies. Some faith groups, including
the Quakers, have said they want the legal right
to perform same-sex marriages.
The bill still has to pass in Upper House the
House of Lords, where delaying tactics by opponents are
possible, but Cameron has said he plans to have it
enacted into law this summer.
Although 127 of the 303 Conservative lawmakers
voted for the bill, 136 voted against, with 5
abstentions and 35 who registered no vote at all. Most of the votes approving
the measure came from the opposition Labour Party and the centre left Liberal
Demoocrats.
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