Britain proposes gay marriage plan

REVOLUTIONARY reforms for new ‘gay marriages’ were proposed by British ministers yesterday.

The controversial civil partnerships will grant gays and lesbians the same legal rights as married couples for the first time in England and Wales.

A bill was expected to propose allowing gays to sign an official document in front of a registrar and two witnesses.

But the measures were not believed to permit gay couples to have a formal public ceremony.

A document published by the Department for Trade and Industry last June suggested the registration will only be available to homosexual couples and not as an alternative to heterosexual marriage.

Yesterday’s radical moves, which would cover England and Wales, will allow gays to benefit from a dead partner’s pension, grant next-of-kin rights in hospitals and exempt them from inheritance tax on a partner’s home.

Last year’s consultation paper did not use the term ‘gay marriage’ but the civil partnerships were clearly designed to mirror a marriage contract as closely as possible.

Partners will even be able to dissolve the agreement in a form of divorce.

Deputy minister for Women and Equality, Jacqui Smith, said last June that the contracts would also mean gay couples will assume formal responsibilities.

During each ‘marriage’, partners will be able to gain responsibility for each others’ children and be obliged to support each other financially, she said.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone set up Britain’s first register for gay couples in September 2001.

Asked to comment on the revised take-up figures, gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said: “Many gay people see the civil partnerships as an inferior, second-class form of partnership recognition.

“They would prefer to hold out for the full legal equality of same-sex marriage,” he said.

“This bill is well-intentioned but deeply flawed,” said Mr Tatchell, who is spokesman for the gay human rights group, Outrage.

“It creates a form of sexual apartheid with one law for heterosexuals and another for gays.

“Same-sex partners are banned from marriage and opposite-sex couples are banned from civil partnerships.

“The simplest way to ensure legal rights for same-sex couples is by ending the ban on gay marriage.”

However, another gay rights group, Stonewall, have extended a positive welcome to the bill.

“This is a hugely symbolic step towards recognition of long-term gay partnerships,” said chief executive Ben Summerskill.