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London: Gay couple threatened with death in violent late night homophobic assault
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Government considers watered down same-sex marriage bill to minimise Tory rebellion
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Robert in S. Kensington 740
GulliverUK 363
Midnighter 361
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Mark Y 334
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That There Other David 297
Sasha 292
Rehan 276
I thought we’d alredy HAD the consultation process???!!
The previous consultation was from the Home Office. This new bill will have to be drafted before it can be formally presented for the approval of the parliament.
Yes, not sure what that means. If it’s a bill it is debated by the MSPs. I don;t think the Catholic Church can do more than try to lobby Catholic MSPs to vote against.
Leigh, the Home Office consultation does not relate to Scotland. The Scottish Govt consulted last year on the principle. The next stage is to publish the draft bill and consult on the detailed provisions in it. Then the bill will be introduced in the Parliament.
Frustratingly slow I know, but that’s the way the Scottish Parliament works.
It is actually the way every parliamentary democracy works on serious legislation
“debate” about equality is never good.
equal rights are equal rights. they are not something that requires, or even can support “debate”. either you agree that people are equal and deserve to be treated as such, or you are a bigot.
there are no two ways around it.
ANY new Bill presented before a democratic parliament has to be scrutinised and debated. It doesn’t matter if it has to do with equality or not.
At least the Government has announced the Bill in its programme for this parliamentary session. Let’s hope they just get on with it.
And for Catholic Church at the end of the day too – as it was French Revolution, abolition of Popes state and modernisation of liturgy after Second Vatican Council. One day Church will understand this, I think. And if not, so worse for them.
No it is NOT good for Scotland.
Equal civil rights are not a matter for debate regardless of what the religious cults may claim.
There goes that ‘cult’ word again.
Yes, I can’t imagine anything better for a society than a robust and public debate over the humanity and value of some of its most vulnerable citizens!
I’ve got news for the good minister, the anti-gay religious groups who are fighting this legislation will NEVER give up on the argument that their church’s will be hurt by this legislation. They have no valid argument so they’ll have to go with the lie that scares people the most. No amount of education or argument will change that.
ENOUGH with the master debating.
Just bl@@dy implement our rights.
You can’t just change the law without consultation and without due democratic processes.
He doesn’t seem to understand the fundamentalist nature of the opposition. It has nothing to do with churches being forced to do anything – they know that but raise it as a straw man anyway; they just don’t want us to be seen as equal by anyone at all, because the sky will fall down and a tsunami may hit Scotland.
What is there to “debate” about equality?
Because a Government presents Bills before a parliament who then have the opportunity to debate it. It’s called democracy. The fact that the Bill relates to issues of equality is neither here nor there.
Good for you Mr Salmond, but more action and less talking. Let us get on with it and made into law.
‘….I think it’s the right thing to do – but the parliament will debate it, and I’m sure, once we can get across the guarantee, of [religious freedom], and above all freedom of speech […] once we get across that to some of the churches, I think they will feel more reassured’…
i thought the churches opposition to equality was based on argument that equal civil marriage would redefine the current concept of marriage
A contrast for you:
The SNP government in Scotland carries out a consultation and give a considered response before announcing they will legislate in the coming parliamentary year to introduce equal marriage. Now the bill will be drafted, considered and then voted on in a single vote at the Scottish parliament.
Meanwhile south of the border, the consultation is at a later stage but there has been a raging storm on the Tory right so Cameron is facing the collapse of his government unless he can “lose” equal marriage from the legislative programme. Hard to do with Lynne Featherstone in situ but a whole lot easier if you replace her with Maria Miller.
So Scotland will have equal marriage and England and Wales will not. Gretna Green will do a roaring trade in gay marriages.
This announcement calls for one of my favorite Britishisms…
Oh, get ON with it!