Cross-House and party partnership to introduce Northern Ireland same-sex marriage bill this week

Mar 26 2018
Written by Jasmine Andersson

(Photo: Creative Commons)

A cross-party partnership to legalise same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland will see a Conservative peer introduce a bill to the House of Lords on Tuesday, while a Labour MP will introduce a motion in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

Conservative Peer Lord Hayward will introduce a Bill to bring marriage equality to the country, while Conor McGinn MP will introduce his “Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Bill” in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - AUGUST 05: A drag queen and a participant dressed as Donald Trump wave to the cowd as Belfast Gay Pride takes place on August 5, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The province is the only part of the United Kingdom which does not recognise same sex marriage. The Irish Republic's first gay prime minister Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today predicted it is only a matter of time before same sex marriage is legalised in the north. Mr Varadkar was speaking at a Pride breakfast event. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

(Getty)

“It gives me great honour to launch the Westminster campaign for equal marriage rights in Northern Ireland in the House of Lords,” said Lord Hayward.

“I am pleased to introduce the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Bill in the Lords with the support of the Love Equality campaign from Northern Ireland.

The strength of public opinion for equal marriage rights in Northern Ireland will be shown by the petition they are due to present to Downing Street later this week.

Thousands of people take part in a Belfast march and rally calling for legislation for same-sex marriage (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

“Every day that same-sex couples have to wait for this change is a day too long. They cannot and should not have to wait for the ongoing political impasse at Stormont to be resolved,” said Conor McGinn in an exclusive piece for PinkNews.

“Sometimes, when it comes to Northern Ireland, we can overcomplicate things. But this is quite straightforward. It’s not about people being unionists or nationalists.

It’s not even about whether people are gay or straight, or married or not. It is not really anything to do with politics either. It’s simply about people being equal.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DECEMBER 05: Same-sex marriage cake toppers are displayed on a shelf at Fantastico on December 5, 2017 in San Francisco, California. The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a civil rights case over a Colorado baker's refusal to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

(Getty)

“Because, if same-sex couples in my St Helens constituency and couples in Cardiff, Edinburgh, London and Dublin can get married, why should same-sex couples in Northern Ireland be denied the same right?” he added.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK or Ireland which still bans marriage for same-sex couples.