Tory MEP warns Cameron over 'militant gay agenda'
London Editor
A Conservative MEP for the South West has warned David Cameron that legalising same-sex marriage will prompt a grassroots party revolt.
Giles Chichester, who represents the Tory Party in Brussels, has written to the Prime Minister urging him to reconsider the "bizarre" move.
Mr Chichester, the party's energy spokesman in the European Parliament, believes it is a "mystery" why Mr Cameron is pushing the "militant gay agenda" championed by pressure groups.
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While supportive of same-sex civil partnerships, he warns the proposals, launched this month, are among a series of policies working to "undermine the traditional family".
He writes: "Should this measure go through, it will cause many Conservatives to question their loyalty to a party which is no longer supporting values inherent to the party."
A 12-week consultation on allowing gay couples in England and Wales to marry is ongoing. Mr Chichester's intervention, similar to those made by backbench Conservative MPs, could prove difficult for the party's leadership, anxious to modernise its image.
The MEP was also critical of the failure to introduce a tax break for married couples and hit out at scrapping child benefit for some families.
In the letter, Mr Chichester says: "The worst way in which you are attacking the traditional family is through your bizarre attempt to redefine marriage.
"Why you have chosen to push the Stonewall [campaign group] militant gay agenda is a mystery to me because same-sex marriage was not in your manifesto and so far as I can tell from friends in the gay community, there is no majority within that minority in favour of trying to make same-sex unions or partnerships the same as traditional marriage. Equal yes, same no."
In his speech to the autumn Conservative Party conference in October, the Prime Minister announced that he supported same-sex marriage "because I am a Conservative". Mr Cameron added: "To anyone who has reservations, I say, yes, it's about equality, but it's also about something else: commitment.
"Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us; that society is stronger when we make vows to each other and support each other. So I don't support gay marriage despite being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I'm a Conservative."
Mr Chichester said he backed same-sex civil unions having equal rights to traditional marriage in areas including property and taxation, but he could not agree "being equal must mean being the same".
He went on: "For two obvious reasons, these unions or partnerships are not the same, namely a marriage is about a man and woman joined together for the procreation of children. What you are doing in attempting to redefine marriage is to undermine and affront the traditional majority to no benefit to the gay and lesbian minority."
Comments
by MelCdg
Friday, March 30 2012, 12:03AM
“Surely everyone understands by now that homosexuality is a natural and normal feature of humanity. Once we accept gay people then marriage naturally follows.
Can't Giles Chichester understand how hurtful the current highly publicised comments from church leaders and himself are? How would he feel if his own relationship with his wife were the subject of a public national debate, lead by supposedly caring people, focussing one whether it is abnormal, an abomination, immoral, unnatural. obscene, grotesque and a shame on the UK etc etc? And whether it is a threat to the family, children and the whole of society?
And where in the Bible does it sayd that it is the role of Christians to judge other people and exclude them from "normal" society?
The fact that it has been traditional to persecute gay and lesbian people is not a valid reason for continung it, anymore than racsim etc. And the fact that some people don't feel quite ready to refrain from doing so is not a goor reason for continuing to demean, decry and abuse a minority of people who do no harm to anyone.
A successful marriage between two people of the opposite sex can be a wonderful thing. If it is made in a Christian context that is great. Likewise a marriage of two people of the same sex can be a wonderful thing.
It is nonsense to suggest, as is being done, that same sex marriage can in any way threaten or damage opposite sex marriages.
The Church and our MPs and MEPsshould be welcoming everybody and not perpetuating poison and hatred. These ideas are wicked and unchristian.”
by nicold
Thursday, March 29 2012, 3:33PM
“Equal gay marriage is no big deal, except for those people still living in the Middle Ages, like right wing Conservatives and senile religious leaders, whose past time is being on their knees talking to themselves!”
by Trustingsoul
Thursday, March 29 2012, 2:26PM
“We must not forget the ruling by the European Court. If the law permits gay marriage it cannot prevent couples from demanding the cermony in chirch, mosque or synagogue.
This now makes Mr Cameron's protesdtations that churches would no be forced to hold these marriage events untrue.”
by busdriver613
Thursday, March 29 2012, 10:47AM
“I would say no to same sex marriage. I'm in a civil partnership and that is fine by me, and my partner. Personally I think Cameron is completely wrong wanting this change which is a waste of time and money and upsetting people there is no need to upset.”