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UK Wedding News

21/02/2018

NI Same-Sex Marriage Could Be Passed At Westminster - Karen Bradley

Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said if same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland was to be raised at Westminster it is the government's policy to allow a free vote on matters of conscience.

She was replying to a question from Labour MP Conor McGinn who asked if she would bring forward legislative proposals on equal marriage in the region.

She said: "In accordance with the Belfast Agreement, this is a devolved matter which should be addressed in the NI Assembly; but the power of the Westminster Parliament to legislate remains unaffected.

"If this issue were to be raised in Westminster, the Government's policy is to allow a free vote on matters of conscience such as equal marriage."

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Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where same-sex marriage is not recognised in law.

Sinn Féin MLA Megan Fearon said: "The North of Ireland is the only place in these islands, the only place in western Europe, that denies the right to marriage equality.

"That is a shameful situation and it is becoming increasingly unsustainable tor the DUP to defend, particularly as a majority of the Assembly and the wider public clearly support the introduction of marriage equality.

"Sinn Féin's objective in the recent negotiations was to secure a pathway to the introduction of marriage equality. We would much prefer that it was done by local power-sharing institutions which are genuinely committed to a rights-based society.

"However, we are not yet at that stage due to the DUP’s decision to collapse the talks and abandon the agreement to restore the institutions.

"In that context, there is a responsibility on both governments, under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, to uphold equality of treatment for citizens here.

"Therefore, I welcome the confirmation from the British Secretary of state that her government will allow a free vote on any proposal in Westminster to legislate for marriage equality here. I also welcome the fact that the Labour Party have now confirmed that they would be prepared to bring forward such a proposal."

(CD/MH)

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"Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said if same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland was to be raised at Westminster it is the government's policy to allow a free vote on matters of conscience."