Today, it was revealed in the House of Commons, that backbench Conservative MPs will be given a ‘free vote’ on the legislation to introduce marriage equality for same-sex and opposite sex couples. Just yesterday, Mrs May’s colleague, the Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson announced that he was NOT Out4Marriage. PinkNews.co.uk has made clear for many years in editorials that we do not agree with the notion of ‘free votes’ on issues of equality.

By making clear her personal commitment, backing a lobbying campaign, during a consultation process that she will preside over, Mrs May has made a very bold statement to her Conservative colleagues. As the Independent notes in its leader “Home Secretary Theresa May’s enthusiastic support – not least her video for the Out4Marriage campaign – blazes a trail that her Conservative colleagues should follow.”

In 2010 when she was appointed Home Secretary and Minister for Equality, PinkNews.co.uk raised concerns about Mrs May’s suitability for the role. The concerns were raised in relation to her voting record, which included voting against an equal age of consent, against the repeal of section 28 and against gay couples jointly adopting children. Although in all of these cases, she voted in line with the Conservative Party leader and often 3-line-whips. However, some senior Conservatives such as current Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, voted for equality and against the position of the party leadership. But in a free vote, Mrs May did support the introduction of Civil Partnerships.

Not long after she was appointed as Minister for Equality, Mrs May asked to write an article for PinkNews.co.uk, in it she said: “My goal, as minister for women and equality, is for us to work together to tackle discrimination and make our country one that is more tolerant, more equal and fairer for all.”

Today she said: “I believe if two people care for each other, if they love each other, if they want to commit to each other and spend the rest of their lives together then they should be able to get married and that marriage should be for everyone and that’s why I’m coming Out4Marriage.”

By continuing to support the introduction of marriage equality, Mrs May may yet help complete turning Britain into a more tolerant and equal society. If she is successful, Mrs May will join a select, and primarily, Labour group of Home Secretaries that have been responsible for a fundamental shift forward in the equality of LGBT people in Britain. But PinkNews.co.uk belives the Government could and should go further.

The current plans are to introduce equal civil marriage, in other words, redefining the existing civil partnerships system as civil marriages. What the Government is not currently proposing, is to allow for religious same-sex marriages performed by churches and synagogues that are willing to do so.

Correctly, Yvette Cooper, the Labour Shadow Home Secretary called for this right in her Out4Marriage video. Without a permissive change in the law, the Government risks introducing a new level of religious discrimination in Britain. Churches like the Unitarians and Quakers as well as Liberal and Reform Judaism, will see their rights trampled over by illiberal and homophobic religious institutions.

Conservative and Liberal Democrat ministers have privately told PinkNews.co.uk that it is only logical that this discrepancy is resolved following the consultation period. Indeed the original official announcements relating to the consideration of same-sex marriage included quotations from the Quakers calling for religious same-sex marriage. But they have also stressed that that this desire needs to be communicated by members of both the LGBT and religious communities in the form of the Home Office consultation. It is therefore imperative that everyone makes it clear that they support equal marriage and the right for religious groups to solemnize same-sex marriages if they wish to do so.

Equally, if we are to have full equality, then civil partnerships must be opened up to opposite sex couples. It would be a bizarre situation if a gay couple had more rights than a straight couple.

But back to her Out4Marriage video, today Mrs May showed us that when it comes to marriage equality, she is on the right side of history. The challenge to her Conservative colleagues, now with a free vote, is to prove that they are too.

Almost 53 percent of Americans say that marriage should be extended to gay couples, which is a 17 percent increase from the poll just six years ago. Just 39 percent, a record low, say that equal marriage should be illegal.

The most encouraging finding for gay rights activists is that 59% of African Americans now support equal marriage, whereas only an average of 41% said they supported the measure before Mr Obama’s public endorsement of the right of gay couples to marry. This is a statistically significant result, although the sample size of black voters is relatively small, which makes the findings somewhat tentative.

Underlining the importance of friends and families in determining support for gay rights, 71% of Americans have said they have a friend, family member or acquaintance who is gay, whereas the number stood at 63% in 2010 and 59% in 1998.

However, the poll does find a majority saying that equal marriage was not a priority for them when voting in the election, and also that on the question whether the issue should be addressed at the state or the federal level, public opinion remains divided.

Frank Schubert, national political director of the National Organisation for Marriage – an organisation that purportedly attempted to divide ethnic minorities and gay community in order to muster opposition to equal marriage — was quick both to dismiss the findings of the poll, and the finding about increased support among black voters.

Mr Schubert pointed out that wherever equal marriage ended up in polls, the measure was defeated, and where it was passed at all, it was through legislative or court action. He also said: “There is not a chance in God’s green earth that African Americans support same-sex marriage,” adding that Mr Obama’s support had “created a lot of angst and conflict in that community, but his opinion of same-sex marriage is not going to be changing the opinion of African Americans in a significant way.”

Gay rights activists, however, have been quick to welcome the findings, saying Mr Obama’s endorsement showed how a powerful voice of support can change public mood and opinion.

Speaking to CNN, he said: “I have no problem with it, and it was the Congress that imposed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, though it was certainly my position and my recommendation to get us out of an even worse outcome that could have occurred, as you’ll recall.”

Echoing comments made by President Obama when he announced his support, Mr Powell added: ”But as I’ve thought about gay marriage, I know a lot of friends who are individually gay but are in partnerships with loved ones, and they are as stable a family as my family is, and they raise children. And so I don’t see any reason not to say that they should be able to get married.”

Although in the 1990s he refused to allow openly gay members serving in the military, he released a statement in February 2010, suggesting that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy be removed.

Mr Powell endorsed Mr Obama for the 2008 presidential elections, though he has yet to announce any endorsement this year. However, he has sharply criticised Mitt Romney’s foreign policy advisers for their extreme right-wing views, including Mr Romney’s declaration that Russia was the “number one geopolitical foe” to the US.

Today, the Obama campaign released a separate LGBT manifesto, also pointing to out to the achievements made by his administration on gay and trans rights over the past three years.

In her video, filmed and released during the public consultation led by the Home Office on introducing equal marriage for gay couples, Mrs May said: “More and more people today are coming Out4Marriage and I’m listening to that, but I recognise that there are strong views on both sides of this argument. And I need to listen to all of those views and that’s why the Government is consulting on this issue.

“But today I wanted to tell you about my own views. I believe in marriage. I believe marriage is a really important institution, it’s one of the most important institutions we have. Marriage binds us together, it brings stability, I think marriage makes us stronger. But I believe also in commitment and in fidelity in marriage, I think these are good things and we should enable them to flourish.

“That’s why I believe if two people care for each other, if they love each other, if they want to commit to each other and spend the rest of their lives together then they should be able to get married, and marriage should be for everyone, and that’s why I’m coming Out4Marriage.

Mike Buonaiuto, co-founder of Out4Marriage told PinkNews.co.uk: “Theresa May today has made clear her own personal commitment for the Government to bring forward legislation to allow same sex couples to marry. As the minister responsible for conducting the public consultation on the issue, we are grateful that she has reaffirmed her belief that marriage for all couples is important and had leant her very significant backing to the Out4Marriage campaign.

“We look forward to working with the Home Secretary and the Government as a whole to ensure that the final legal discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people is removed from the statute book. We are equally delighted that in just a few weeks, Out4Marriage has gained support from senior Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour and Green politicians.”

Mrs May joins high profile supporters of Out4Marriage including Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, girl group The Saturdays, Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, Advertising Standards Authority chairman Lord Chris Smith and Lib Dem Minister for Equalities, Lynne Featherstone.

Ms Castro, who is the daughter of President Raul Castro, has been in the US for an academic conference on Latin America, and her visit has been denounced by Republicans, including the presumptive presidential candidate, Mitt Romney.

Known for her steadfast manner, and her strong support for gay and trans rights in Cuba, Ms Castro said of Mr Obama’s endorsement of equal marriage: ”I think he’s sincere and speaks from the heart,” adding, “I think it’s something that he truly believes in… If I were a US citizen, I would vote for President Obama.”

Speaking at a local gay rights centre in San Francisco, she also blamed a “small group of delinquents” in making it difficult for US and Cuba to bridge their diplomatic divisions, which have existed ever since Fidel Castro seized power more than five decades ago.

“We have a lot in common,” Ms Castro said, surrounded by several bodyguards, adding: “Don’t let them pull us apart.”

She also said that the current legal reforms in Cuba were backed by her father and her uncle, who were won over by her late mother, who, according to her, was committed to LGBT rights.

Not everyone in the LGBT community is happy about the visit, however. Several gay Cuban-Americans have condemned the visit as saying it promotes a particularly revisionist version of LGBT history in Cuba, and that the treatment meted out to them until recent was unduly harsh.

Ms Castro, a well-known sexologist, will lead another conference on sexual politics in San Francisco today, and will visit the New York Public Library next week for a conference on international gay rights.

Narrated by the star of Glee, Jane Lynch, the video specifically appears to court LGBT voters ahead of the 2012 presidential elections.

Among the triumphs the video recalls are the repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy for LGBT personnel in the military, which Mr Obama calls “one of his proudest moments,” and the extension of spousal and visitation rights to same-sex couples in hospitals. Images from Mr Obama’s video for the ‘It Gets Better’ campaign also features.

That the public appears to support his endorsement of equal marriage, and that those opposed to it would have not voted for Mr Obama anyway, appears to have made his campaign more confident over its stance on LGBT rights, sources familiar with the matter say.

The video towards the end becomes a manifesto for LGBT rights, where Mr Obama makes a personal appearance, and says: “Not only to preserve the gains that we’ve made over the last 3 years, but to make sure that any discrimination is eliminated, you’re going to need a strong advocate in the White House. I am that strong advocate.”

He also adds: ”It’s not just a matter of head. It’s a matter of heart. It’s who I am. It’s what I care about.”

The revelation was quietly added towards the end of the article, discussing Mr Parsons’ appearance as a gay man in the Broadway play, ‘The Normal Heart.’

Mr Parsons, whose performance in ‘The Big Bang Theory’ has won him several awards, including two Emmys and a Golden Globe, has been quiet about his private life. He has yet to reveal the identity of his partner, though most of the fans of the show believe that the latter’s name is, Todd Spiewak, with whom he is regularly photographed, and whom he usually thanks when accepting awards.

While his privacy has been praised by some, others, such as Michael Musto for Out magazine, want him, and others like him, to come out loud and proud, calling it “the honourable — and sensible — thing to do.”

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, has lent his personal support to extend marriages to same-sex couples, and the measure has the firm backing of the Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and the Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Just yesterday, a spokesperson for Downing Street said that the plans were a “government commitment,” which many interpreted as a signal that all ministers were expected to support the measure. However, early this morning, the BBC obtained a statement from No. 10 to the effect that it was an issue of conscience, “like abortion,” and therefore ministers would be given a free vote on the issue.

While the source confirmed that the government was still confident of passing the legislation, what prompted this overnight shift in position remains unclear.

However, an increasing number of socially conservative Tory ministers have spoken out against the measure, including Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson, and Children’s Minister Tim Loughton. The Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond had also said that equal marriage was not a priority, a comment that George Osborne echoed in an interview with Andrew Marr.

Last night, in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, which with its sister publication, has campaigned vigorously against the measure, the defence minister Gerald Howarth welcomed the shift in position, saying it was “absolutely right and proper” that ministers vote against the proposals if they wanted. Mr Howarth had suggested that the Tory losses in local election was actually due to plans for equal marriage, something that Foreign Secretary William Hague was quick to dismiss.

Meanwhile, Nick Clegg, signing up to the Coalition for Equal Marriage (C4EM), has warned the Tories against backing down on the measure, saying Lib Dems and the Coalition were committed to see the measure through before the next general election.

Just yesterday, two Tory MPs, the Justice Minister Crispin Blunt, and the PM’s Parliamentary Private Secretary, Desmond Swayne, recorded messages of support for the @Out4Marriage campaign.

Update: The Out4Marriage campaign is filming a video with a senior cabinet minister today, and PinkNews.co.uk expects to publish the video shortly.

The move comes after Azerbaijan had accused the Islamic Republic of slander over the accusations, saying there was no word in their language for gay parade.

Today, Iran said it had withdrawn its ambassador from Baku, where the contest will be held, on account of “insulting of religious saints.”

One senior cleric, Ayatolla Sobhani, has issued a statement urging Muslims in the region to protest: ”We heard that the government of Azerbaijan is hosting the international Eurovision Song Contest and that during this contest there will also be a gay parade.”

However, the government of Azerbaijan has denied that any such event will take place. “They are making statements about something that does not exist. We are holding Eurovision, not a gay parade,” one official said on Monday.

There have been subsequent protests against Iran in Baku, where demonstrators carried pictures of the President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with banners that read: “Azerbaijan does not need clerics — homosexuals!”

This year’s Eurovision song contest, particularly popular among the LGBT community, was seen by the International Lesbian and Gay Association as an opportunity for the country to ‘move towards openness’ after concerns over the country’s gay rights record.

Azerbaijan has a large Muslim population, but the government is secular. Homosexuality was decriminalised in the country in 2001. Azeri officials have privately blamed Iran for Islam’s growing influence in the country.

The Eurovision website and the independent Escotoday site were recently hacked by a group calling itself ‘The Devotees of Azerbaijan,’ which also took exception to Azerbaijan’s allegedly hosting a gay pride parade. The country won the right to host Eurovision this year after Ell and Nikki won last year’s contest.

His message comes the same day as the Tory Justice Minister, Crispin Blunt, recorded his message for the campaign, whereas the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson, came out against equal marriage.

In his message, Mr Swayne says: “I’m married, I enjoy being married, it’s a huge blessing, and therefore I want that blessing to be extended to everyone.”

“I’ve come at this issue of equal marriage,” he continues, “principally because I am a Christian. I believe that the promises of the Gospel are unconfined: they’re for everyone, and the sacraments that follow from that should be available to everyone. That’s why, I’m out4marriage.”

Among those who have contributed to the campaign include the chairman of Virgin media, Richard Branson, comedian David Walliams, the girl-band, The Saturdays, and the equalities minister, Lynne Featherstone.

The two male penguins, Inca and Rayas, met at Madrid’s Faunia Park six years ago, and have been inseparable since then. However, they have been building a nest every year in the hope of being able to nurture a young penguin, to no avail.

The Times reports today that zoo-keepers will place an egg in their nest, in order for them to become parents.

Yolanda Martin, who takes care of the pair, told the newspaper: “We wanted them to have something to stay together for — so we got an egg. Otherwise they might have become depressed.”

Inca has apparently taken to the maternal role, perching upon the egg all day, while Ryas has assumed a more paternal role.

However, Ms Martin takes exception to the label ‘gay’ for the penguins, and insists that they are merely ‘good friends.’ However, local gay rights activists have taken the opportunity to point out that same-sex parents care as deeply and as well for their children as do heterosexual parents.

This is of course not the first time stories about gay penguins have surfaced (see related articles below). Buddy and Pedro, another gay penguin couple in Toronto, were separated briefly, much to the anguish of many, although they are set to be reunited at some point in the future.

The San Diego City Council had voted unanimously to rename the street, currently called Blaine Street. The motion was proposed by Councilman Todd Gloria and seconded by Councilman Carl DeMaio, both of whom are gay.

The following photographs were taken by Laurence Watts, for PinkNews.co.uk.

Mr Blunt came out as gay in 2010, when he separated from his wife of 20 years.

In his video message, he says: “If like me you were born in 1960, the pace of change around all the equality issues over the last decade or so has been incredibly impressive, and what it means is that issues like same-sex marriage and a lack of access to it now just seem like the anomalies that simply leave those remaining examples of inequality, that everyone now really accepts is unacceptable.”

He adds: “We need to tidy this up, and that’s why I’m Out4Marriage.”

His message comes on the same day that another Tory MP, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson, announced his opposition for equal marriage.

Among those who have contributed to the campaign include the chairman of Virgin media, Richard Branson, Labour life peer, Lord Chris Smith, and the leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas.

The current issue of Astonishing X-Men, No. 50, sees Jean-Paul Beaubier, whose alter-ego, Northstar, can move at super-human speeds, proposing to his partner of three years, Kyle Jinadu.

Their wedding will be featured in the next issue, out on 20th of June, Marvel Comics has confirmed. The comic-strip first broke ground by announcing that Northstar, a character in the series since 1979, was gay back in 1992.

The BBC reports that some retailers are already planning their own wedding parties in order to celebrate the forthcoming wedding.

The editor-in-chief of Marvel, Axel Alonso said in a statement: ”The Marvel Universe has always reflected the world outside your window, so we strive to make sure our characters, relationships and stories are grounded in that reality.”

He added: ”We’ve been working on this story for over a year to ensure Northstar and Kyle’s wedding reflects Marvel’s ‘world outside your window’ tradition.”

However, there might not be a happy ending for the couple, as the wedding announcement carries the following ominous message: ”Will their path to wedded matrimony in New York City be smooth, or are there hidden dangers around the corner?”

X-Men will not be the first comic-strip to feature equal marriage though. That credit goes to DC Wildstorm’s The Authority, in which Apollo and the Midnighter got married. Meanwhile, Marvel’s rivals, DC Comics, have revealed that a major established character in one of their comic-strips would soon be revealed as gay.

His comments come as there seems to be a growing opposition to the measure among some back-bench Tories, with some, like the defence minister Gerald Howarth, arguing that it was the government’s support for equal marriage that cost them the local election. The more conservative of Tories have asked for Lib Dem policies such as equal marriage and House of Lords reform to be shelved, urging the government to focus instead on the economy.

The Independent reports today that Mr Clegg reaffirmed that it was a matter of ‘how, not whether’ equal marriage becomes legal in England and Wales. He had previously said that equal marriage would be a reality by 2015.

Having signed the petition organised by the Coalition for Equal Marriage (C4EM), he told the group: ”The Coalition Government, the Liberal Democrats and I remain wholeheartedly committed to lifting the ban on equal civil marriage. We are currently consulting on how, not whether, to introduce proposals for equal marriage and I want to encourage everyone to make sure that their voices are heard during this time. Many other countries have taken this progressive step and I think it’s about time Britain joined them.”

Conor Marron, a co-founder of the C4M, said: ”We’re very happy to have Nick [Clegg] standing with us on this issue, along with the majority of MPs who have voiced their position on the subject. We welcome Nick’s reassertion that this consultation is on how to introduce civil marriage equality, not if.”

His response comes after one of his constituents, Andrew Smith, he wrote: “Having considered this matter carefully, I am afraid I have come to the decision not to support gay marriage.”

“However,” the letter continues, “the government is rightly committed to advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and has already taken action to do so by allowing those religious premises that wish to carry out civil partnerships do so, erasing historic convictions for consensual gay sex and putting pressure on other countries that violate the human rights of LGBT people.”

He adds: “The prime minister has made clear that he supports equal civil marriage and the government is rightly consulting widely on this issue before making any changes to the current position. I am worried that this will be a disappointing response.”

Mr Smith told PoliticsHome, the website which first released the letter: ”It is bizarre that a cabinet minister can both praise his government’s progress on LGBT equality in the same letter that he tells me he won’t support my right to marriage equality. Logic eludes this man. He is clearly unsympathetic to the needs that LGBT youth in rural communities have for leaders who stand up for equality. I hope the constituents of North Shropshire prove to him how out of touch he is.”

Mr Paterson is the third Tory minister to oppose equal marriage, after Philip Hammond and Tim Loughton came out against the measure earlier this month, and after the defence minister, Gerald Howarth blamed the measure for the election losses suffered by Tories in the recent local elections.

A spokesperson for Downing Street confirmed to PinkNews.co.uk that the Prime Minister is still committed to introducing equal marriage before the next election.

Most reports have alleged that these men and women were engaged in “prostitution,” though others have labelled them as “fun seekers.”

Emirates 24/7 reported that most of the arrested were expatriates, from which ‘14 Arab women would be immediately deported while several gays and tomboys have been locked up pending trial.’

The news organisation further reported that the campaign involved hundreds of security agents covering several areas of Kuwait city.  It further quoted an unnamed police “source” stating that ‘the campaigns will intensify in the next period to end such illegal practices inside suspected apartments and houses’.

Arab Times stated that the campaign against the alleged “fun seekers” was organised by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), under the supervision of Assistant Undersecretary for Security Affairs Major General Sheikh Ahmad Al-Khalifa.

A transgender Kuwaiti activist who wishes to remain unnamed stated ‘they call it “prostitution places” but in fact these were private parties in homes and apartments.’ She stressed: ‘it’s just drinking and partying maybe a bit more but not prostitution!!’

She explained that ever since the Islamists have won a majority in the Kuwaiti Parliament last February such campaigns have intensified.  She reported that increasing number of check points have been put in place, targeting a wide range of behaviour and people, including transgender people, gays, lesbians, people ‘drinking alcohol, couples, parties, and any appropriate kind of clothing’.

However, LGBT people are signalled out in particular, she said. She reported that on Sunday a transgender woman was caught, beaten and the arrested at a checkpoint.  She ‘was wearing loose men clothes and covering her hair going back to her place from friends. She faced three check points, the first 2 was easy to get through because they were busy with traffic.’  In the third check point she was caught and beaten after ‘she refused to get into the police car. She’s now in detention and we don’t know what is going to happen for her.’

Her account is also corroborated by reviewing of press reports of recent arrests against so called “vice”, all ordered by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior; the previous weekend (of the 12th of May), a total of 40 people were arrested in similar raids, of which four were described as “Boyat”, an Arabic term referring to tomboys which may also refer to lesbians, who were detained and are awaiting prosecution.

On the 29 April, seven gay men were arrested for wearing “indecent clothing” while spending time at the beach. Ten days earlier, 44 people were arrested, of whom, 4 were gay and 5 merely labelled as “cross-dressers.”

According to the activist, this is an attempt to appease MPs from the Islamist parties that now have a majority in Parliament (34 out of 50 seats).

Last week the Emir of Kuwait blocked a constitutional amendment to article 79 as to make Sharia “the only source” of legislation rather than a major or main source as it is now. Nevertheless the Islamists MPs have vowed that they will not desist and continue with pressures for constitutional amendments.

On 24 May,  MP Dr. Al-Damkhi, a member of the parliamentary committee on tackling “practices alien to Kuwaiti society”, proposed to set up a “Rehab centre” to ‘treat negative phenomena alien to Kuwaiti society.’ DR Al-Damkhi explained that such a facility is needed ‘in light of the occasional spread of negative phenomena alien to our Kuwaiti society.’

He suggested that the centre would aim ‘to promote noble values amongst Kuwaiti youth, who are the future of the country; to fight what affects the moral values of the society; and to encourage the youth to be involved in fields that serve the nation’.

In addition it would ‘treat cases of gender identity disorder” which will solve the problem of “inappropriate treatment by the police” and allow “imitators” to receive treatment “for their conditions”.  He stated that ‘providing rehab to such patients has become a necessity’.

On December 10, 2007, the parliament passed a bill proposed by Islamic MPs that amended article 198 of penal code so that anyone “imitating the appearance of a member of the opposite sex” could be jailed for up to a year or fined up to 1,000 dinars. Bill architect and long standing Kuwaiti politician Al-Otaib, who headed at the time the parliamentary committee monitoring “practices alien to Kuwaiti society”, said: ‘The law criminalising people who imitate the appearance of the opposite sex must be implemented and respected … Kuwait should ignore any international criticism.’

This law caused massive persecution and misery to transgender people in Kuwait which was slammed in a HRW report published on 15 January this year, criticising arrests, torture and abuse of transgender people in the country.

Article 193 of the Penal Code punishes homosexuality between men, over the age of 21, with up to seven years imprisonment. If the conduct involves persons under the age of 21, then imprisonment can be for a maximum of ten years.

The announcement comes from the Prime Minister, Zoran Milanovic, although there appears to be some confusion over what he meant. The Associated Press reported Mr Milanovic as saying Croatia will ‘recognise same-sex marriages.’ However, Mr Milanovic told reporters: “We are talking about registered partnerships, which is a somewhat higher standard than what we have now.”

A spokesperson for the Croatian Embassy in London told PinkNews.co.uk that it is unlikely that Croatia would introduce equal marriage in the fullest sense of the word, as is the case, for example, in the Netherlands and Canada. However, the legislation might pave the way for ‘same-sex marriages’ performed at other states to be recognised in Croatia.

Mr Milanovic belongs to the Social Democratic Party, which during its campaign promised to improve things for LGBT people in the country. ”That was our program. I hope that the people of Croatia accept it, it’s simply a form of social empathy and decency and expanding freedom,” he said.

The right-wing opposition, Croatian Democratic Union, has strongly rejected the plan, and was supported by the influential Catholic Church in its position. The former prime minister, Jadranka Kosor, had once claimed that Croatia “cannot and will not give consent to the legalisation” of equal marriage.

Croatia held its first ever-gay pride parade in 2011, in the coastal city of Split, but was disrupted by thousands of homophobic protesters, who threw stones and firecrackers at those marching in the celebrations – an incident which led to a quick resolution by the European Parliament, urging the government to offer protection to its LGBT citizens as it negotiates becoming member of the EU.

Christopher Hunnisett, 28, had killed a 57-year-old gay man, Peter Bick, just four months after he was acquitted of a vicar’s murder. Mr Hunnisett had previously spent more than nine years in jail for killing the Rev Ronald Glazebrook, who was 81, in his bath, and cutting up his body, back in April 2001. He was acquitted during a retrial, when he claimed that Rev Glazebrook had sexually abused him.

It has been revealed that after being released from prison in September 2010, he made a ‘hit list’ of men he wanted to kill, in an effort to ‘purge’ the world of paedophiles.

Mr Bick, an employee of ASDA from Bexhill-on-Sea, was at the top of this ‘hit list,’ even though the prosecution said there was ‘not a shred of evidence’ to suggest that he was a paedophile. Having split up from his long-term partner, Mr Bick used social-networking and dating sites to meet younger men for consensual-sex, the prosecution said.

In January of last year, Mr Hunnisett had had sex with Mr Bick at his flat, before lethally smathing his head with five severe hammer blows, and strangling him with a shoelace. He had additionally tried to frame Mr Bick by sending text messages to suggest that the latter wanted to meet a 15-year-old-boy.

In sentencing the defendant, Mr Justice Saunders warned that he was an ‘extremely dangerous man’ who ‘may well kill again’ if released in the foreseeable future. “The time may never come,” he added, “when this defendant is considered safe to be released.”

Lord Smith made history as the first openly gay MP and Cabinet Minister, coming out publicly in 1984.

In his Out4Marriage video, he said: “All my life I have fought for the equal rights and equality for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people and it seems to be that marriage is a very simple matter of making sure that we get equality and until we have the right to marry then we are not going to be equal. That’s a very simple proposition.

“We have gained so much over the past ten or fifteen years and civil partnerships were a major step forward but they were not full equality. That’s why I think this is a very important campaign.

“There’s a personal reason too. As a gay man, I’d like to be able to marry too. A civil partnership is great, wonderful but it’s not the whole thing and I’d like to have the choice if I wanted to marry. And that’s why I’m coming Out4Marriage.”

However, given that the ASA is investigating complaints received about adverts produced by C4M, the latter group has accused ASA of bias, and Archbishop Cranmer had called on Lord Smith to resign.

A spokesperson for the ASA dismissed the call for Lord Smith to leave his post, but, in a statement to the Daily Telegraph, admitted that there was a conflict of interest on his part, and therefore would not vote. She also added that the advertisement being investigated did not automatically imply that the complaint would be upheld.

When approached for clarification, the ASA told this publication that when deciding on complaints, it is not normally required for the chairman to vote, and he is called on to vote only when the vote is split down in the middle. In this case, the spokesperson said, as there is the potential for a conflict of interest, Lord Smith would not be voting either way.

The complaints to the ASA were lodged as C4M used in their advertisements both the number of signatures seen on their online petition, and a Catholic Voices poll which suggested up to 70% of Britons might be opposed to marriage equality. Doubts have been cast however both as to the number and validity of signatures on C4M, and the methodology of the Catholic Voices poll, especially as every other poll conducted in the last three years have suggested that a majority of Britons support equal marriage.

Mike Buonaiuto, co-founder of the @Out4Marriage campaign, told PinkNews.co.uk that the campaign was started in order to have people from all walks of life, including politics, entertainment and religion, to record their support for equal marriage. “Lord Smith was one of the first politicians to be open about his sexuality, and his voice is an important addition to the campaign,” Mr Buonaiuto said, adding, “We fully support his right to express his desire for equal marriage, and welcome his contribution to the growing campaign.”