David Cameron could be facing a rebellion from within his own party
David Cameron could be facing a rebellion from within his own party over plans to legalize gay ‘marriage.’

Parliamentary opposition to same-sex ‘marriage’ is mounting in response to Government’s plans to fast-track a vote on same-sex ‘marriage’ in early 2013.

The actual number of Tory MPs opposed to the change may be as high as 130, while only 60% of Labour voters and 77% of Liberal Democrats say they favour the changes.

The rebellion currently brewing in the Conservative Party is of sufficient magnitude that some insiders believe it may destroy the party, and certainly cost the Tory party the next election.

Among David Cameron’s most vocal critics is Monmouth MP David Davies, who warned, “We’re going to lose a large number of very loyal activists who’ve gone out and campaigned for us over the years and who don’t like this idea, so politically it’s barking mad.”

The Parliamentary backlash has culminated in a letter to the Government that was printed in the Telegraph on 17 December, in which 58 MPs from all parties declared their support of “freedom from the state being able to redefine the meaning of marriage.” They wrote,

SIR – As parliamentarians from different political parties and none, we are united in supporting the institution of marriage defined in law as a union between a man and a woman. We recognise the value of a loving and committed relationship and we respect civil partnership, but affirm the distinctive value of marriage reflecting the complementarity of a man and woman often evidenced in parenthood.

At the last election, none of the three main parties stood on a platform to redefine marriage. It was not contained in any of their manifestos, nor did it feature in the Coalition’s Programme for Government. These facts alone should have led to extreme caution on the part of those calling for this change to be made.

Instead the Government is ignoring the overwhelming public response against the plans. The consultation has ignored the views of 500,000 British residents in favour of anonymous submissions from anyone anywhere in the world. We believe that the Government does not have a mandate to redefine marriage.

We recognise these are issues of conscience which will be given free votes in Parliament. We will be seeking legal guarantees of the same freedom of conscience for our constituents and religious organisations to teach, preach and express a traditional view of marriage.

We are sceptical that the proposed protections will prevent the erosion of liberties of religion and conscience. The proposed redefinition of marriage is unnecessary, given the legal rights established through civil partnerships. We understand some parliamentarians support freedom for same sex couples to marry, but we support a freedom from the state being able to redefine the meaning of marriage.

In addition to the dissent in his own party, David Cameron has received fierce opposition from church spokesmen. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury said in a Christmas sermon that plans to legalize gay ‘marriage’ were comparable to the way the Nazis and Communists tried to undermine religion. The Right Reverend Mark Davies accused David Cameron of trying to redefine the institution of marriage for ‘generations to come.’ He pointed out that both Hitler and Stalin challenged Christianity under the banner of ‘progress’.

The Bishop’s words were echoed  by John Smeaton, head of the UK’s leading pro-life and pro-family group, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, who commented: “The government’s proposals will only be defeated through the dogged, united efforts of politicians, church leaders, pro-family and pro-life activists, who are prepared to defend, with maximum determination, the birthright of every citizen – the existence of the institution of marriage, the permanent, exclusive union of one man and one woman, the basis of the family and the fundamental group unit of society.”

PRAY: that God would grow the strength of the opposition within the Tory party so that these abominable measures will be defeated.

WRITE: if your MP was among those who signed the letter to the Telegraph, write to congratulate and encourage them. Following are the list of MP’s who participated in the letter.

David Burrowes MP (Conservative)
Joe Benton MP (Labour)
David Davis MP (Conservative)
Mary Glindon MP (Labour)
Lord Hylton (Crossbench)
Nigel Dodds MP (Democratic Unionist Party)
Lord Anderson of Swansea (Labour)
Fiona Bruce MP (Conservative)
Jim Dobbin MP (Labour)
Lord Carey of Clifton (Crossbench)
Rehman Chishti MP (Conservative)
Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach (Conservative)
Sir Gerald Howarth MP (Conservative)
Tim Loughton MP (Conservative)
Peter Bone MP (Conservative)
Jeffrey Donaldson (Democratic Unionist Party)
Andrew Selous MP (Conservative)
John Glen MP (Conservative)
Sir Jim Paice MP (Conservative)
Stewart Jackson MP (Conservative)
Lord Edmiston (Conservative)
Jim Shannon MP (Democratic Unionist Party)
Lord Palmer (Crossbench)
Andrew Bingham MP (Conservative)
Lord Shrewsbury and Waterford (Conservative)
Julian Brazier MP (Conservative)
David Simpson MP (Democratic Unionist Party)
Pauline Latham MP (Conservative)
Nick de Bois MP (Conservative)
Richard Drax MP (Conservative)
Lord Tombs (Crossbench)
Jonathan Evans MP (Conservative)
Sir Roger Gale MP (Conservative)
Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party)
Gordon Henderson MP (Conservative)
Philip Hollobone MP (Conservative)
Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour)
Marcus Jones MP (Conservative)
Lord Swinfen (Conservative)
Baroness Fookes (Conservative)
Jeremy LeFroy MP (Conservative)
Lord Vinson (Conservative)
Karl McCartney MP (Conservative)
Dr William McCrea MP (Democratic Unionist Party)
Anne McIntosh MP (Conservative)
Stephen Metcalfe MP (Conservative)
Anne-Marie Morris MP (Conservative)
David Nuttall MP (Conservative)
Matthew Offord MP (Conservative)
David Davies MP (Conservative)
Mark Pawsey MP (Conservative)
David Ruffley MP (Conservative)
Lord Marlesford (Conservative)
Henry Smith MP (Conservative)
Baroness O’Cathain (Conservative)
Bob Stewart MP (Conservative)
Ben Wallace MP (Conservative)
Craig Whittaker MP (Conservative)

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6 COMMENTS

  5. The whole ‘gay marriage’ debate seems to be part of a worldwide movement to undermine and denigrate religion, religious views and religious expression. It also seems part of the movement to subjugate the masses.

    I don’t suppose any other small minority group has had the same action on its behalf. but of course a significant number of senior financial positions and judiciary position are held by those of dubious to say the least sexuality.

    I have said before and repeat that there is in life no such thing as equality. Men and women are not the same they are different. The greatest inequalities revolve around poverty and oppression.

    But worst of all, pressing for equality is denigrating God giving authority to the Church and to leaders appointed with God’s authority, and saying in laymen’s terms that none have authority over any other.

    But of course in terms of ‘power’, greed and wealth, none mostly God given, there is in fact total inequality between the poor and the wealthy power-mongers of the world.

    So how can they say undermining marriage between a man and a woman is an act of equality? Given the propensity for those involved in homosexual acts to do so with hundreds or thousands of ‘partners’ any recognition of ‘gay marriage’ is a dreadful and terrible weakening of making vows of commitment for life, which are as nothing to those involved in homosexual acts.

    But it may well rebound on these Governments seeking to weaken the bonds of society and lead to a complete undermining of government authority throughout the Western world. If government stubbornly won’t listen to huge sectors of the general population, will all these people have ANY respect for government?

    And what subsequent treachery will they face from those involved in homosexual acts by their seeking to appease such people. Each step of giving in to these sorts of people is a further step down the road to lawlessness and chaos in society.

    It is indeed a VERY dangerous path these governments seek to tread.