Labour Lord Alli: ‘A stunning victory for equal marriage in the Lords’

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Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli has described the passing of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill at second reading in the House of Lords as “a stunning victory for equality”.

Lord Alli said: “There can be no doubt that the public, the House of Commons and now the House of Lords are in favour of marriage equality. Those opposed to this bill should listen to the overwhelming voice of the majority, not just in both Houses of Parliament, but across the country.”

The House of Lords voted 390 votes to 148 in favour of the bill on Tuesday evening – a majority of 242.

It will now go on to its committee stage in the Lords, where it will be scrutinised line-by-line on the floor of the Upper House.

During the second reading House of Lords debate of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, Lord Alli urged peers to back the reform, saying “different is different, equal is equal”.

“I ask you vote for this bill because everyone deserves the right to have their love recognised equally by the state.”

Lord Alli added he was “proud” that “so many” Conservative MPs voted for the bill at last month’s third reading in the House of Commons.

“There can be no doubt that David Cameron has shown a huge amount of personal courage”, he said.