Same-sex Marriage in The United Kingdom

Same-sex Marriage In The United Kingdom

Same-sex marriage is not legal in the United Kingdom. Marriage laws vary in the four countries of the United Kingdom. Since 2005, same-sex couples are allowed to enter into civil partnerships, a separate union which provides the legal consequences of marriage. In 2006, the High Court rejected a legal bid by a British lesbian couple who had married in Canada to have their union recognised as a marriage in the UK and not as a civil partnership.

During the Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2010, all the leadership candidates endorsed same-sex marriage as Labour Party policy. On 21 September 2010, the Liberal Democrats, a junior member of the governing coalition, officially endorsed same-sex marriage when the party's conference in Liverpool approved a policy motion called "Equal Marriage in the United Kingdom". In February 2011, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government expressed its intention to begin a consultation to allow both religious same-sex ceremonies and civil marriage for same-sex couples. In September 2011, the Government announced its intention to introduce same-sex civil marriage by the next general election. This policy has been controversial with many religious organisations, notably the Church of England, which is concerned that the legalisation of same-sex marriage would undermine its status.