MPs’ ‘brazen attack’ seeks to impose same-sex marriage on CofE
from The Christian Institute:
A motion to force same-sex weddings on the Church of England (CofE) is to be discussed by Parliament next week.
On Tuesday, Ben Bradshaw MP is expected to present a motion “to enable clergy of the Church of England to conduct same sex marriages on Church of England premises in certain circumstances”.
The CofE recently voted to “welcome” plans for churches to bless same-sex partnerships, but churches cannot conduct same-sex weddings.
Attention seeking
The motion itself cannot change the law, but Bradshaw, who was one of the first MPs to enter into a civil partnership, said he wanted to “draw attention to an issue” and hoped it would be “a precursor to actual legislation”.
Co-sponsors of the Bill, which is being introduced under the Ten Minute Rule, include Harriet Harman, Dame Margaret Beckett and Sir Peter Bottomley.
Under the 2013 same-sex marriage legislation, no church can be forced to conduct same-sex weddings. This is because of four legal safeguards, often called the ‘quadruple lock’.
Maria Miller, the minister originally responsible for the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, said at the time that protections afforded to churches by the legislation were “iron clad”. Bradshaw himself acknowledged that it was the “prerogative” of the CofE not to conduct same-sex weddings.
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