by Tony Rucinski, Coalition for Marriage
“For both of us, we really care about family”. Those were Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s words last week as he described his rapport with President Trump. When even leaders at the highest level want to be seen as champions of family values, it’s clear the political winds are shifting.
But beneath these positive words lies a troubling reality. Over recent years, we’ve witnessed marriage repeatedly redefined and diluted – from civil partnerships to same-sex marriage, and now activists in both the US and UK pushing lawmakers to recognise polyamorous relationships involving multiple partners. With an estimated 4–5% of adults in America already involved in ‘non-monogamy’, the slippery slope we warned of is now becoming obvious.
Nigel Farage acknowledged this reality when speaking to LBC, describing the introduction of same-sex marriage in 2013 as “wrong”. He rightly noted that such a significant shift was never proposed in any election manifesto, and civil partnerships were already a fair and equitable arrangement. Regrettably, he now considers the issue settled and seems reluctant to challenge this profound societal shift.
In contrast, former Archbishop Justin Welby took an even more troubling stance, recently telling the Cambridge Union he was “thick” to have believed the Bible’s teachings on marriage. His dismissal of traditional biblical views sends a deeply discouraging message to faithful members of his Church.
Such wavering from influential voices comes at a critical moment. Divorce has never been easier, and married adults (with all the benefits that marriage brings) are now a minority in England and Wales. The erosion of marriage’s unique status has brought real consequences to families and communities alike, just as C4M predicted.