Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill

Debate between Lord Gordon of Strathblane and Lord Lester of Herne Hill

Monday 17th June 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gordon of Strathblane]

Will the noble Lord, on reconsideration, delete “lower status” and just say “different status”?

[Lord Lester of Herne Hill]

No, I will not, because I think all noble Lords in this Chamber regard marriage as the crowning of our relationships. As a man who has been married for 41 years, I certainly do, as do many gay people who are religious, or not religious but who regard marriage as the highest status they can aspire to. Therefore if you call it something less, such as civil partnership or civil union, it has a lesser status—not just a different status but a lesser one.