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Showing posts with the label Philip Hammond

Clergy, legal experts not buying ‘protections’ for churches in UK gay ‘marriage’ law

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LONDON , January 30, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Promises of “safeguards” for churches in the UK’s proposed gay “marriage” law are empty and unenforceable, given the UK’s Equalities law and connections to the European Union , according to a top legal expert. According to Aidan O’Neill QC, wording in the bill, scheduled to go to the vote on February 5 th , that he government claims makes it illegal for the Church of England and Church in Wales (Anglican) to conduct same-sex “weddings” is “eminently challenge-able”. O’Neill has told the government that the wording is in fact illegal, and will be overturned straight out of the gate. Aiden O'Neill The comments come in response to a blog post by Maria Milller, the Culture Minister who introduced the bill on Friday, in which she said, “I have always been crystal clear that I simply will not introduce any new law that does not provide protection for all religious organisations and individual ministers of religion. “Our Bill ...

Northern Ireland says No to homosexual marriage

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Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson  A Conservative cabinet minister has declared his opposition to same-sex marriage in the most significant challenge yet to reform plans backed by the prime minister. Northern Ireland secretary Owen Paterson made clear his hostility to the change in a letter to a constituent, seen by the PoliticsHome website. "Having considered this matter carefully, I am afraid I have come to the decision not to support gay marriage," he wrote in response to an appeal for support. David Cameron has personally championed the change, which is out for public consultation, but is under pressure from backbench Tories to drop the move.  Defence secretary Philip Hammond said recently that it was "not a priority" for the government after the Liberal Democrat policy was blamed by some for poor local election results. His Cabinet colleague went further, expressing direct opposition. In a letter dated last week, Mr Paterson sa...