MPs are due to vote on gay marriage today

by political editor Paul Francis

Two Kent MPs who oppose gay marriage have provoked a hostile reaction to
their views as the debate on the issue continues in the House of
Commons.

Tonbridge and Malling MP Sir John Stanley issued a statement explaining
his position which said gay marriage could be "positively damaging" to
young people.

Outlining his reasons for opposing the Bill, he wrote: "I consider enshrining gay marriage into law will be unhelpful and in some cases positively damaging to young people going through the perfectly normal phase of being attracted to other young people of the same sex before arriving at a heterosexual orientation subsequently."

Comments on social media sites took issue with the argument.

"What about those going through a straight phase? Does he want to
abolish that just to be on the safe side?" wrote one.

Others said his argument was "absolute rubbish" and "complete nonsense."

Meanwhile, Thanet North MP Roger Gale was forced to issue a statement denying that he had compared gay marriage to incest.

In the Commons, he had said: "There is a way forward. It has been suggested but it has been ignored.

"I do not subscribe to it myself but I recognise the merit in the argument, and that is this; if the government is serious about this, take it away, abolish the civil partnerships bill, abolish civil marriage, and create a civil union bill that applies to all people, irrespective of their sexuality or their relationships, and that means brother and brothers, sisters and sisters and brothers and sisters as well.

"That would be a way forward. This is not."

As critics took him to task over the comment, he rushed out a statement
which sought to clarify his position.

"I appreciate that the world is obsessed with sex but this has to do, simply, with the legal and property rights of those who are at present excluded from protection under the Civil Partnerships Act," he said.

"i consider enshrining gay marriage into law will be unhelpful and in some cases positively damaging to young people" – mp sir john stanley

As many as 100 MPs are reported to be voting against the move and a number of the county's 16 Conservative MPs are among them.

The scale of the opposition has grown in recent weeks with many grass root Conservatives indicating their unease about the plan, fearing it will alienate traditional supporters.

Those who have already said they will defy the government are: Roger Gale (Thanet North); Julian Brazier (Canterbury); Gareth Johnson (Dartford); Adam Holloway (Gravesham); Charlie Elphicke (Dover) and Rehman Chishti (Gillingham).

Those who intend backing the Bill include the Maidstone and Weald MP and equalities minister Helen Grant; the sports minister Hugh Robertson; Ashford MP and policing minister Damian Green and Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins.

Among those yet to indicate how they will vote are Thanet South MP Laura Sandys.

Equalities minister Helen Grant (pictured below) said in a interview with The House Magazine:

"I think it's pretty consistent, personally, with who we [Conservatives] are and what we're trying to achieve, which is a fairer, richer, more equal society in many ways.

"For me, as a Christian, I see it as about justice, equality, fairness, ending discrimination and opening up marriage to more people on the basis that marriage is a very special institution.

"We shouldn't be stopping people from getting married unless there's a very good reason, and being gay, lesbian, bisexual is not one of them."

Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins said he acceped people would have different views: "A lot of the concerns people had about the Bill have been resolved, such as allowing churches to opt out.

"I believe that this will create a more equal society when anyone can already get married in a registry office."

Dover MP Charlie Elphicke said: "I believe that civil partnerships are perfectly fine as they are and there doesn't seem to be any reason at this stage to change that system."

Gravesham MP Adam Holloway, the son of a Church of England minister: "It

is not equalisation - it is redefinition. Marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman. Two of my staff are in civil partnerships.

"I asked them what they thought and their views were quite clear. They

said: 'Marriage is something heterosexual people do.'"

Among the more forthright critics is Canterbury MP Julian Brazier.

He has previously raised concerns that it could cause problems for religious affairs teachers, warning they might face legal action if they disagree with the Government's same-sex marriage laws.

"I remain concerned about the unintended consequences of this legislation on other members of our community.

"What safeguards shall be in place to ensure a Christian teacher has the right to free speech?" he said.

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill would allow gay couples to wed in both civil and religious ceremonies, where the religious setting had consented.

Couples already in a civil partnership could convert their union into a marriage.