YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    LONDON (AP) — A bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Britain cleared a major hurdle Tuesday, as lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favor of the proposals championed by Prime Minister David Cameron.

    The vote in the House of Commons — 400 to 175 in support of the proposed legislation — will be followed by more detailed parliamentary debates. The proposals also require the approval of the House of Lords before they become law.

    The process could take months, but if approved, the bill is expected to take effect in 2015 and enable same-sex couples to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies, provided the religious institution consents. The bill also lets couples who had previously entered into civil partnerships convert their relationship into a marriage.

    "Tonight's vote shows Parliament is very strongly in favor of equal marriage," Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said. "I genuinely believe that we will look back on today as a landmark for equality in Britain."

    The lopsided vote was a qualified victory for Cameron, with around half of his party's lawmakers rejecting the proposals or abstaining. Nonetheless, strong support from the left-leaning Labour Party and Liberal Democrats party ensured the Commons approval.

    After the ballots were counted, Cameron acknowledged that "strong views exist on both sides," but said the result was a "step forward for our country."

    Officials have stressed that all religious organizations can decide for themselves if they want to "opt in" to holding gay weddings. However, the Church of England, the country's official faith, is barred from performing such ceremonies.

    That provision aims to ensure that the Church, which opposes gay marriage, is protected from legal claims that as the official state religion it must marry anyone who requests it.

    Currently, same-sex couples only have the option of a civil partnership, which offers the same legal rights and protections on issues such as inheritance, pensions, and child maintenance.

    Supporters say that gay relationships should be treated exactly the same way as heterosexual ones, but critics worry that the proposals would change long-standing views about the meaning of marriage. Some Conservatives also fear the proposals would cost the party a significant number of votes in the next general election.

    "Marriage is the union between a man and a woman, has been historically, remains so. It is Alice in Wonderland territory, Orwellian almost, for any government of any political persuasion to seek to come along and try to re-write the lexicon," Conservative lawmaker Roger Gale said.

    The bill's provisions apply only to England and Wales — there are no plans for similar legislation in Northern Ireland. Scotland is considering introducing a similar bill.

    ___

    Sylvia Hui can be contacted at http://Twitter.com/sylviahui

    Loading...

    More World News

     

    News for You »

    • Why We Can't Forget That Oklahoma's Senators Voted Against Sandy Relief

      Nearly four months ago, Oklahoma Senators Tom Coburn and James Inhofe both voted against H.R.152, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act that eventually sent $50.5 billion in relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. And in the flurry of last night's devastation in Moore, Oklahoma. it was impossible not to forget that fact, knowing the federal government would soon rally to the cause.

    • Boyfriend espaces out window as husband confronts cheating wife [VIDEO]

      As part of perhaps the most spectacular walk-of-shame ever, an underwear-clad lover escaped from a third floor bedroom as the returning husband confronted his cheating wife on a balcony.

    • Rescues, Grim Recoveries at Elementary School After the OK Tornado

      There's a reason that many eyes were on Plaza Towers Elementary as Moore, Oklahoma began to assess the damage from a deadly, devastating tornado that blasted through the town Monday evening and killed at least 51 people: the school was leveled, with dozens of children still inside. And so far, some of the most emotionally charged news has emerged from the story unfolding there. 

    • Kids rescued from rubble at Okla. elementary

      MOORE, Okla. (AP) — Several children have been pulled out of the rubble alive at a school in an Oklahoma City suburb.

    • File: Josh Powell had affair before wife vanished

      WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (AP) — Newly released police files say Josh Powell had an affair with a Utah woman just months before his wife disappeared.

    • 10 gut-wrenching images from the devastating Oklahoma tornado

      Entire neighborhoods and two elementary schools were obliterated

    • BREAKING: Subway Just as Unhealthy as McDonald’s!

      If you watched the London Olympics last summer, you saw a parade of top athletes touting the nutritional qualities of their favorite eatery: Subway. Watching Apolo Ohno or Robert Griffin III bite into a veggie footlong with avocado or hearing that Subway is “the official training restaurant of athletes everywhere,” you might get the idea that the food served at the chain isn’t that bad for you—that it’s even healthy.

    • Caroline Kennedy's Jury Service Echoes Her Father's Stance on Drug Crimes

      For the first time in fifty years, a member of the Kennedy family yesterday decided not to impose a mandatory minimum sentence on a man accused of a drug crime. Caroline Kennedy and eleven other jurors voted to acquit Nelson Chatman of selling crack to an undercover officer, in a case echoing one of her father's lesser-known political efforts.

    Show More
    Loading...