Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 (c. 30) is an Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It legalises same-sex marriage in England and Wales.[1]
After the 2010 General Election, in September 2011, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Equalities, Lynne Featherstone, announced they would try to make same-sex marriage legal from March 2012.[2] The session closed in June 2012 and, in December 2012, the new Minister for Women and Equalities, Maria Miller, announced that the Government would be introducing a law before the next election. She also said that they were trying to get this done within parliament's current session.[3]
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill was introduced into Parliament on 24 January 2013. The leaders of the three main political parties in the United Kingdom gave their MPs a free vote. This means they would not be made to vote in favour or against it; they could vote however they wanted.[4]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill". House of Commons. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- ↑ "Lynne Featherstone MP announces government consultation on equal marriage". lynnefeatherstone.org. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- ↑ "Equal marriage: The Government's response". HM Government. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- ↑ "Lib Dem MP Gordon Birtwistle: 'Gay marriage is just not on'". www.pinknews.co.uk. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
