Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill

Lord Barwell Excerpts

Tuesday 16th July 2013 Commons Chamber

The House of Lords, whose amendments we are discussing, has changed its attitudes very significantly since it voted to block the repeal of section 28 and to vote against gay adoption. Indeed, this time the House of Lords has for the first time been more progressive than the House of Commons, and we should make sure we do not get left behind. In the Commons 69% of those who voted supported the Bill. In the Lords 72% of those who voted supported the Bill. In the Commons the Bill had a majority among Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs, with the support of just under half of Conservative MPs. In the Lords the Bill had a majority of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative peers, and a majority of Cross Benchers too. I hope this House will rise to that challenge by giving even stronger support to the Lords amendments and the Bill in its final stages now.

[Gavin Barwell (Croydon Central) (Con)]

Does the right hon. Lady agree that it is not just attitudes in this House or the other place that have changed, but that there has been a fundamental change in attitudes among the British public? People’s attitudes to sexuality have changed in a very progressive way. A majority of people want to see the law changed. The polling shows a very clear skew between younger voters and older voters, too, so it is very clear in which direction public opinion is moving. That, more than anything, is the key force behind this Bill.

[Yvette Cooper]

The hon. Gentleman is exactly right about that change in attitudes, and we heard it from some Members in the House of Lords who now strongly support this Bill, having previously opposed other legislation that provided for equality in this area. As the legislation has changed, so attitudes have changed, and as the legislation has changed further, so attitudes have changed further. Step by step, the law and public attitudes have moved forward in a progressive way, and we need to complete those steps. I hope we will do so now with the passage of this Bill.