A piece in today’s Sunday Times:
Heterosexual couples could be allowed to enter civil partnerships, paving the way for cohabiting people to get the same legal rights as those who are married.
A private member’s bill setting out the changes, led by Tim Loughton, a Tory MP, is expected to receive government support when it gets its second reading in February.
Loughton, a former children’s minister, said he is “optimistic” of its success. Justine Greening, the education secretary, also signalled her support, telling a recent meeting of the Bright Blue think tank: “I am all for equality.”
Supporters of the measure say it would help to stabilise families with unmarried parents, who account for more than half of family breakdowns despite making up only a fifth of couples.
Sir Paul Coleridge, founder of the Marriage Foundation campaign group, endorsed Loughton’s plans. “What matters is that people make a decisive, truthful commitment to each other before they enter into a relationship which leads to children,” he said.
It comes as the Equal Civil Partnerships pressure group is supporting a couple who are challenging the law’s block on heterosexual civil partnerships. Charles Keidan and Rebecca Steinfeld will have their case heard in the Supreme Court in May.
They argue that “civil partnerships are a modern social institution conferring almost identical legal rights and responsibilities as marriage”. [J4MB: This is precisely why Charles Keidan, and other men, should neither marry nor enter into civil partnerships.]
We refer you to our website Men Shouldn’t Marry.
You can subscribe to The Times here.
