Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill — New Clause 8 — Domestic protection for persons — 20 May 2013 at 19:00
The majority of MPs voted against strengthening protections for those not wishing to conduct or participate in a religious marriage ceremony due to it being a marriage of a same sex couple.
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill[1][2] contained a provision (clause 2[3]) which prevents individuals and religious organisations who do not wish to conduct or participate in a religious marriage ceremony on the ground that it is a marriage of a same sex couple from being compelled to carry out, or participate in, such a marriage ceremony.
The proposed clause would have clarified the meaning of "compelled", with an apparent intent of strengthening the proposed provision.
The text of the proposed new clause rejected in this vote was:
- (1) For the purposes of this Act “compelled” includes, but is not limited to—
- (a) less favourable treatment of a person by a public authority,
- (b) the imposition of any criminal or civil penalty, and
- (c) any legal proceedings against a person as a result of a decision not to opt-in, conduct, be present at, carry out, participate in, or consent to the taking place of, relevant marriages.
- (2) Expressions used in this section have the same meaning as the expressions used in section 2 of this Act.’.
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- [1] Parliament's webpage on the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill (now the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013)
- [2] Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - dated 9 May 2013 (version as at the time of the Division)
- [3] Clause 2 of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - dated 9 May 2013 - Marriage according to religious rites: no compulsion to solemnise etc
- [4] Explanatory notes to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill dated 9 May 2013
Party Summary
Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.
What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.
What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.
What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.
| Party | Majority (No) | Minority (Aye) | Both | Turnout |
| Con | 92 (+1 tell) | 126 (+2 tell) | 0 | 72.5% |
| DUP | 0 | 6 | 0 | 75.0% |
| Green | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Independent | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Lab | 190 | 18 | 0 | 80.6% |
| LDem | 37 (+1 tell) | 9 | 0 | 82.5% |
| PC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33.3% |
| SDLP | 0 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Total: | 321 | 163 | 0 | 76.7% |
Rebel Voters - sorted by party
MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division
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