The English Democrats haven’t got a specific manifesto item on “Gay Marriage” but then neither have any of the other parties!
Cameron has no democratic mandate at all for this proposal and therefore the very least that should happen in a real democracy is a referendum. Otherwise we are into a battle of semantics whose sole purpose is the cynical and blatantly political one of diversion tactics to spin/divert attention from the Cameron government’s abject failure to tackle the deficit and also their drastic devaluation of our currency.
Gay Marriage is not an issue that has any significant popular demand behind it either. There have only been 22,000 “Civil Partnerships” and no doubt many less gay couples would actually wish to “marry” especially when by doing so they might entangle themselves in the legal snarl up that is modern divorce.
English people traditionally call a table:- a “table”; and a formalised union between a man and a woman, we call:- a “marriage”. If someone with no mandate to do so decides to call a table:- a “chair” they merely make themselves look silly and arrogant – just like Cameron over this issue!
This is what we have got in our manifesto:-
3.1 Families
3.1.1 It is often overlooked that our society is founded on the institutions of marriage and family life. The family is the place where cultural and moral values are most successfully passed from one generation to the next.
3.1.2 The English Democrats favour the promotion of marital families, consisting of mother, father and children, as the preferred building block of our society.
3.1.3 The English Democrats wish to create a social and financial environment where men and women can enjoy the opportunity of a career and also raise a family.
3.1.4 New attitudes and practices are needed so that raising a family is no longer seen as a second best option to the maximisation of wealth and leisure.
3.1.5 We need families with children because without them our nation and way of life will cease to exist.
3.1.6 We need young people to train as nurses, doctors, police, teachers, soldiers and all the many other occupations that a society requires.
3.1.7It is English Democrat policy to strive to make family life culturally desirable. We will advocate taxation and welfare policies that are conducive to family life”.
Here is an article about this issue which mistakes it as a serious attempt at reform rather than a misconcieved Cameron spin operation trotted out whenever he needs to divert attention away from a serious policy failure:-
Govt goes back on word over gay marriage in church
Fri, 7 Dec 2012
The Government has turned back on its promise not to allow same-sex marriages in church.
Its consultation repeatedly promised that same-sex weddings would only take place in civic, not religious settings.
But under plans to be revealed next week, the Government will give its backing to religious organisations that wish to conduct same-sex weddings.
Damage
It claims “locks” will prevent churches from being forced to host same-sex marriages. But there is concern that this will not be sufficient.
Tory MP Peter Bone said the news will “hugely damage the Government in electoral terms”.
And Coalition for Marriage (C4M), which has seen over 600,000 people sign a petition against redefining marriage, criticised the decision.
Freedoms
Colin Hart, Campaign Director of C4M, said: “The Government say they have a double lock for churches but in practice a double lock could become a double jeopardy.
“Churches could be embroiled in legal actions.
“The Government seems to have decided that it’s better for churches to be sued than for the Government to be sued in the European court.
“Surely they need to reconsider this rushed legislation which is jeopardising the freedoms of those who believe in traditional marriage.”
Vulnerable
Paul Goodman, the Executive Editor of influential blog ConservativeHome, wrote, “if some churches, say, agree to conduct same-sex marriages, but others refuse, what happens to the latter when a legal case is brought against them?”
He added: “I’m not a lawyer, but it seems at least possible that a church which refuses to conduct same-sex marriages was vulnerable before the Prime Minister’s change of heart – and is even more vulnerable after it.”
A spokesman for the Government said: “We are committed to bringing equal civil marriage forward and the consultation results will be announced next week.
‘Locks’
“We are very clear that religious organisations must be protected and that none will be forced to conduct same-sex marriage.
“EU law is very clear that this is the case and we will additionally bring in very strong legal locks to ensure that this is watertight.”
Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have both previously backed same-sex marriage in churches.
Here is a link to the original article:-
http://www.christian.org.uk/news/govt-goes-back-on-word-over-gay-marriage-in-church/?e071212