'Gay weddings' become law in UK
Discussion
I think 'civil partnerships' are a much needed reform.
'Gay weddings' become law in UK
Roger Lockyer and Percy Steven: 39-year wait for recognition
Hundreds of gay couples are preparing to form civil partnerships in the coming weeks as the law changes after decades of campaigning.
At least 1,200 ceremonies are confirmed as being scheduled already, according to figures from councils compiled by the BBC News website.
Registrars are preparing for the first ceremonies, with couples permitted to register from Monday morning.
Campaigners says the law ends inequalities for same-sex couples.
The first ceremonies under the Civil Partnerships Act can take place in Northern Ireland on 19 December, followed by Scotland the next day and England and Wales on 21 December.
Under the law, couples who want to form a partnership must register their intentions with local councils. Unlike marriages, the signing of the legal partnership papers does not need to happen in public.
Hundreds of couples are expected to go ahead quickly, with Brighton conducting 198 ceremonies before the end of the year. Overall, the city has taken 510 bookings for the coming months, thought to be the highest in the country.
Other cities which have seen strong interest include London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Meg Munn, minister for equality, said the government expected 4,500 couples to get "partnered" in the first year.
PROVISIONAL BOOKINGS
Brighton and Hove: 510
Westminster: 140
Manchester: 88
Newcastle: 80
Birmingham: 70
Leeds: 60
Edinburgh: 76
Sheffield: 58
Nottingham: 50
Glasgow: 30
Cardiff: 24
Belfast: 20
Liverpool 20
Londonderry: 6
Aberdeen: 5
Source: Councils; not all ceremonies booked for December
"This is an important piece of legislation that gives legal recognition to relationships which until now were invisible in the eyes of the law," Ms Munn told the BBC News website.
"It accords people in same-sex relationships the same sort of rights and responsibilities that are available to married couples.
"We know there are people who have been together maybe 40 years and have been waiting for the chance to do this kind of thing, because of the important differences it makes to their lives.
"They have the same concerns as married couples - tenancy, ownership, pensions and inheritance."
Alan Wardle, of gay campaign group Stonewall, said the importance of the change should not be underestimated.
"Our view is that civil partnerships are transformative for the lives of individual couples and their rights, but also for society more generally.
"Society now legally recognises gay relationships for the first time.
"It's a big day but 21 December, when the first partnerships take place, will be even bigger because that will see gay and lesbian people removing discrimination."
Reticent councils
Maybe in 10 years' time we won't need to have gay wedding planners or gay companies at all - there will be just wedding planners - that would be a measure of equality
Richard Jones, Modern Commitments
Naming the gay day
Retailers are already beginning to cash in on the new partnerships.
A range of "Mr and Mr" and "Mrs and Mrs" cards will hit Asda supermarkets this week.
And sets of "Darling, Dearest, Queerest" embroidered towel and soaps went on sale at Superdrug stores on Friday.
Meanwhile, three short advertisements were published in the Births, Marriages and Deaths columns under the heading Civil partnerships in Monday's Times newspaper.
The heading is a new addition to the paper, which has carried family announcements for nearly 221 years.
Campaigners have focused on councils which have been equivocal about the new law.
Bromley in south-east London had initially planned not to offer public ceremonies. Lisburn in Northern Ireland also overturned a proposed ban.
Ms Munn said any councils dragging their feet needed to comply with the both the spirit and letter of the law.
"The legislation requires that every authority must offer a civil partnership. The basic level of that is a simple signing of a register - some couples may just want that alone.
"But if any councils are saying they won't allow [public] ceremonies, for couples who want that kind of celebration, then it's time they came into the 21st century."
'Gay weddings' become law in UK
Roger Lockyer and Percy Steven: 39-year wait for recognition
Hundreds of gay couples are preparing to form civil partnerships in the coming weeks as the law changes after decades of campaigning.
At least 1,200 ceremonies are confirmed as being scheduled already, according to figures from councils compiled by the BBC News website.
Registrars are preparing for the first ceremonies, with couples permitted to register from Monday morning.
Campaigners says the law ends inequalities for same-sex couples.
The first ceremonies under the Civil Partnerships Act can take place in Northern Ireland on 19 December, followed by Scotland the next day and England and Wales on 21 December.
Under the law, couples who want to form a partnership must register their intentions with local councils. Unlike marriages, the signing of the legal partnership papers does not need to happen in public.
Hundreds of couples are expected to go ahead quickly, with Brighton conducting 198 ceremonies before the end of the year. Overall, the city has taken 510 bookings for the coming months, thought to be the highest in the country.
Other cities which have seen strong interest include London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Meg Munn, minister for equality, said the government expected 4,500 couples to get "partnered" in the first year.
PROVISIONAL BOOKINGS
Brighton and Hove: 510
Westminster: 140
Manchester: 88
Newcastle: 80
Birmingham: 70
Leeds: 60
Edinburgh: 76
Sheffield: 58
Nottingham: 50
Glasgow: 30
Cardiff: 24
Belfast: 20
Liverpool 20
Londonderry: 6
Aberdeen: 5
Source: Councils; not all ceremonies booked for December
"This is an important piece of legislation that gives legal recognition to relationships which until now were invisible in the eyes of the law," Ms Munn told the BBC News website.
"It accords people in same-sex relationships the same sort of rights and responsibilities that are available to married couples.
"We know there are people who have been together maybe 40 years and have been waiting for the chance to do this kind of thing, because of the important differences it makes to their lives.
"They have the same concerns as married couples - tenancy, ownership, pensions and inheritance."
Alan Wardle, of gay campaign group Stonewall, said the importance of the change should not be underestimated.
"Our view is that civil partnerships are transformative for the lives of individual couples and their rights, but also for society more generally.
"Society now legally recognises gay relationships for the first time.
"It's a big day but 21 December, when the first partnerships take place, will be even bigger because that will see gay and lesbian people removing discrimination."
Reticent councils
Maybe in 10 years' time we won't need to have gay wedding planners or gay companies at all - there will be just wedding planners - that would be a measure of equality
Richard Jones, Modern Commitments
Naming the gay day
Retailers are already beginning to cash in on the new partnerships.
A range of "Mr and Mr" and "Mrs and Mrs" cards will hit Asda supermarkets this week.
And sets of "Darling, Dearest, Queerest" embroidered towel and soaps went on sale at Superdrug stores on Friday.
Meanwhile, three short advertisements were published in the Births, Marriages and Deaths columns under the heading Civil partnerships in Monday's Times newspaper.
The heading is a new addition to the paper, which has carried family announcements for nearly 221 years.
Campaigners have focused on councils which have been equivocal about the new law.
Bromley in south-east London had initially planned not to offer public ceremonies. Lisburn in Northern Ireland also overturned a proposed ban.
Ms Munn said any councils dragging their feet needed to comply with the both the spirit and letter of the law.
"The legislation requires that every authority must offer a civil partnership. The basic level of that is a simple signing of a register - some couples may just want that alone.
"But if any councils are saying they won't allow [public] ceremonies, for couples who want that kind of celebration, then it's time they came into the 21st century."
Ironic that now the only group who are discriminated against by the state in this respect are different sex couples who are not able to enter into a civil partnership.
In all fairness to the gay rights camapaign they did actually point out that whilst they were happy with the govermment move on same sex partnerships they felt that it was unfair that civil partnerships should not extend to all.
In all fairness to the gay rights camapaign they did actually point out that whilst they were happy with the govermment move on same sex partnerships they felt that it was unfair that civil partnerships should not extend to all.
An important step. If a couple have decided to become partners then there are a host of legal advantages (as well as a few disadvantages) in being "married". If these civil partnerships deliver these same benefits (and issues!) then this is a vitally important - as without them the state is discriminating against some of its citizens.
Good news, particularly for gay Britons.
Good news, particularly for gay Britons.
Axeman30 said:What exactly would be the point when you can get married in a wholly secular ceremony at a register office?
Ironic that now the only group who are discriminated against by the state in this respect are different sex couples who are not able to enter into a civil partnership.
Zod said:
Ironic that now the only group who are discriminated against by the state in this respect are different sex couples who are not able to enter into a civil partnership.
Maybe you'd like to 'get married' by signing some papers behind closed doors, like gay couples now can, without all the pointless ceremonial razzmatazz?
Einion Yrth said:
Maybe you'd like to 'get married' by signing some papers behind closed doors, like gay couples now can, without all the pointless ceremonial razzmatazz?
The principle of marriage is that it offers certain legal privileges in order that couples are encouraged to get married to provide a more stable relationship for the benefit of any children they might have.
By definition same sex couples won't be able to have children (naturally at any rate), so the law should recognise this and offer them a lesser form of marriage with the same legal privileges.
It is not discriminating against different sex couples, merely common sense.
I have no problem with gay couples adopting children - it already happens.
The most important thing to a child is love and stability.
Given that in modern Britain there are so many single parent families, kids living with relatives, in care etc etc, I don't see how this can be any worse, and in most cases it would be a whole lot better than many kids get.
The most important thing to a child is love and stability.
Given that in modern Britain there are so many single parent families, kids living with relatives, in care etc etc, I don't see how this can be any worse, and in most cases it would be a whole lot better than many kids get.
Jaglover said:
Maybe you'd like to 'get married' by signing some papers behind closed doors, like gay couples now can, without all the pointless ceremonial razzmatazz?
The principle of marriage is that it offers certain legal privileges in order that couples are encouraged to get married to provide a more stable relationship for the benefit of any children they might have.
By definition same sex couples won't be able to have children (naturally at any rate), so the law should recognise this and offer them a lesser form of marriage with the same legal privileges.
It is not discriminating against different sex couples, merely common sense.
We have no children, we wish to have no children, yet the other half and I could have children without any kind of legal partnership - you are therefore talking bollox, it is not 'common sense' at all.
Marriage offers very real tax advantages
From inheritance tax through to capital gains tax (through Nil Gain Nil Loss transfers). If these advantages were open to all couples through civil partnerships (which can be dissolved far more easily) it may well result in widespread abuse of the system.
Instead it is focused on couples who are unable to marry, which seems to me only right.
From inheritance tax through to capital gains tax (through Nil Gain Nil Loss transfers). If these advantages were open to all couples through civil partnerships (which can be dissolved far more easily) it may well result in widespread abuse of the system.
Instead it is focused on couples who are unable to marry, which seems to me only right.
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