David Burrowes: I oppose all ‘dilutions’ of marriage
Tory MP David Burrowes has once again voiced his opposition to the same-sex marriage bill, and has stated he will not be voting for an amendment to it allowing opposite-sex couples to have civil partnerships.
Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, he said he would not be voting for the amendment to the same-sex marriage bill which proposes to open up civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples.
The amendment is supported by a broad range of MPs, but has recently been championed by several staunch opponents of equal marriage, including MP Tim Loughton. Mr Loughton had previously joined Mr Burrowes in calling for a referendum on same-sex marriage to delay its implementation to 2015.
The support for the amendment from marriage equality opponents has led some to consider it to be a ploy to wreck the bill by delaying its passage beyond the 2015 general election.
Mr Burrowes said: “I won’t be [supporting the amendment] but I recognise the logic of equality, but sadly, what is going to go on the altar of equality, we’re going to sacrifice our concern and value for marriage.
“I do respect [that times have changed], but I think that we should find ways to properly, as we already have done through civil partnerships, ways to properly value committed relationships. But one shouldn’t ignore the particular value of marriage that has stood the test of time, and we should recognise that we should do more over the years to support marriage rather than seek ways, I believe, to dilute it and undermine it.”
He added that, in his view, the bill had rendered marriage “fairly meaningless”.
“Marriage has a distinctive value between men and women, the complementary value of a man and a woman together, having a union together, for their sake, for their children’s sake, for society’s sake,” he said. “Unfortunately, this bill seeks to undermine that value, and over the years I would suspect that one would see less of value, less of a take-up.”
