A cross-party Bill pushing for same-sex marriage equality in Northern Ireland will be introduced to UK government this week.
Uniquely, UK government parties have formed a partnership to push for legalisation of same-sex marriage in the country.
On Tuesday (27 March), a Conservative peer will propose the Bill to the House of Lords.
The house is responsible for the final signing off on legislation and proposed bills.
Following that, Labour MP Conor McGinn will bring forth a motion for the ‘Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Bill’ in the House of Commons, the parliament that represents the public and discusses changes to the law, on Wednesday.
Northern Irish couple Amanda McGurk and Cara McCann will also resent a petition to Downing Street on Wednesday.
It is thought will reflect the true numbers of those supporting same sex marriage in the British territory.
The Assembly in Stormont has voted on gay marriage five times in three years.
Labour and Conservative parties ‘demonstrate cross-party, cross-parliamentary support’
Conservative Peer Lord Hayward released a statement on Monday, said of his decision:
‘It gives me great honour to launch the Westminster campaign for equal marriage rights in Northern Ireland in the House of Lords.
‘I am pleased to introduce the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Bill in the Lords with the support of the Love Equality campaign from Northern Ireland.
Amnesty Northern Ireland call on government
According to Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty NI programme director and a member of the Love Equality campaign, marriage equality is as issue that can no longer be ignored.
‘We welcome this important intervention by Lord Hayward.
‘Our preference has always been for the Northern Ireland Assembly to pass marriage equality legislation, in line with the overwhelming support which exists among the public here.
‘However, without functioning devolution for the last 15 months, we now look to Westminster to legislate.
‘Lord Hayward’s Bill, in parallel with Conor McGinn’s Bill in the Commons later this week, is a powerful demonstration of cross-party, cross-parliamentary support for equal marriage.
‘We call on the UK Government to introduce its own legislation to ensure equality can now become law for Northern Ireland couples.
‘Discrimination against LGBT couples in Northern Ireland can no longer be tolerated.’
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