A bill to legalise same sex marriage in Northern Ireland has passed the first hurdle in the House of Commons and will now have its second reading in May.
The private member’s bill was raised by Camlough-born Labour MP Conor McGinn, at Westminster on Wednesday last. Mr McGinn later joined campaigners in delivering a 42,000 signature petition to 10 Downing Street, presented by a same sex couple from Northern Ireland who are planning to marry on Valentine’s Day next year and hope it will be a marriage rather than a civil partnership.
In an impassioned speech in the House of Commons, the Labour MP said that the NI Assembly stalemate should not mean that Northern Ireland “remains a cold house for LGBT people and their rights.”
“The defacto suspension of the devolved legislature does not mean that equality for same sex couples can be suspended indefinitely – because rights delayed are rights denied,” he added.
The former Camlough man also brought laughter to the House of Commons as he recalled some of the “sage advice” he had received from punters in south Armagh during visits home – quoting one man’s quip in favour of gay marriage that “they’re entitled to be as miserable as the rest of us.”
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK not to have legalised same-sex marriage but there is widespread public support for the move, with a 2016, Ipsos Mori poll revealing that 70% of adults in Northern Ireland believe gay couples should be allowed to marry. Previous attempts to legislate for same sex marriage have been blocked by the DUP who used a ‘petition of concern’ to prevent same sex marriage after Assembly members voted 53 to 52 in favour in November 2015.
After the bill was approved in Westminster, the DUP released a statement, asking that their “mandated position” is also recognised.
Mr McGinn said that now is the time for the British government to intervene.
“My preference would very clearly be for the Northern Ireland assembly to legislate for this,” he said.
“But in the absence of an assembly, we have a duty here in Westminster to ensure that our fellow citizens enjoy the same rights as the rest of us.”
The bill, having passed the first stage, will now get its second reading on May 11.