Jon Stewart had his own unique take on the recent debate over the United Kingdom’s marriage equality bill in the House of Commons, as Towleroad.com reports:
“Tories, I know the stakes are lower over there because Britain doesn’t have hurricanes every time two dudes kiss, but try it once more, and this time put some feeling into it!…Five hours of debate and not one mention of the slippery slope of incestuous pedophile orgies?”
Meanwhile, Pink News reports that one MP had planned to abstain from voting on the marriage equality bill, but emotional testimony moved him to support it:
Following Tuesday’s debate, Austin Mitchell said: “I heard all the arguments and decided it was almost inevitable. I was very moved by some of the speeches and decided I couldn’t win by abstaining, so I voted for it.” One of the most heart-warming speeches of the day was delivered by Conservative MP Mike Freer, who spoke movingly of his relationship with his civil partner of 21 years. Mr Freer said: “I’m not asking for special treatment I am simply asking for equal treatment.”
Another MP, Michael Fallon, already regrets casting a “no” vote on the marriage equality bill, Pink News says:
“I think it would’ve been pretty scornful if he had announced a free vote and then 95% of Conservative MPs trooped into the Lobby behind him. There were divisions in the party, there are divisions in the country. I voted against because I think if you’re going to redefine marriage, one of the central institutions of our society, you probably need to do so on the basis of a lot more consultation for that change than I thought existed at the moment. But I was wrong, the majority of people in parliament have voted the other way and we’ve got to accept that now and make this thing work.”
Another MP was unrepentant:
In a statement [MP Adam] Afriyie said: “I voted against the bill because it is not truly equal. “I would like to see a single form of state recognition for all couples, but the bill unnecessarily creates two forms of legally recognised union. My two main concerns now are that, first, the church and other religious organisations are not coerced through the threat of litigation. And second, that those who wish to form same-sex civil partnerships are treated equally under the law.”
And, unsurprisingly, the Catholic Church is NOT HAPPY, the Catholic News Agency reports:
After a bill allowing same-sex “marriage” passed in the U.K.’s House of Commons, local Catholic bishops have warned that the legislation will have profoundly negative effects on society. “Marriage is rooted in the complementarity of man and woman. For these reasons the Church opposes the Government’s Bill to re-define marriage,” said Archbishop Peter D. Smith of Southwark Feb. 5. “Despite claims by supporters of the Bill that the central issue is one of equality, the Bill actually seeks to re-define marriage and will have consequences for society at large.”
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