Gay Tory MP Nick Boles given ministerial responsibilities for equal marriage
Junior Conservative minister Nick Boles has been given specific responsibilities for same-sex marriage, as part of today’s reshuffle, Downing Street confirms.
The former Planning minister will take up a joint-departmental position in Business and Education.
On Tuesday, David Cameron appointed Nicky Morgan as the new Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities.
She is now responsible for schools and the government’s overall strategy on equality.
The MP voted against same-sex marriage last year.
David Cameron also announced Mr Boles, a strong support of equal marriage, will become a junior equalities minister under Ms Morgan, looking after policies to do with same-sex marriage and LGBT equality.
Nick Boles is Minister of State for the Business & Education depts. Part of his brief will be equal marriage implementation. #Reshuffle
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) July 15, 2014
The “implementation” aspect on same-sex marriage will sit around the future of civil partnerships. Couples in civil partnerships will be able to convert them to marriages from 10 December in England and Wales.
Mr Boles, who is in a civil partnership, voted for same-sex marriage last year.
Ms Morgan, MP for Loughborough, was previously appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Minister for Women in a government reshuffle in April, sparked by the resignation of Maria Miller.
Mr Boles defended April’s appointment of Ms Morgan, following criticism of her record on same-sex marriage.
Downing Street announced today that the equalities brief had now been added to her ministerial portfolio – and that the Government Equalities Office (GEO) is moving from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), to the Department for Education (DfE).
