Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill

Debate between Yvette Cooper and Jack Dromey

Tuesday 5th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[Yvette Cooper]

My hon. Friend is completely right to say that this Parliament should have pride in giving people equal rights to be respected and to have their relationships celebrated in the same way.

[Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the institution of marriage can only be strengthened if in future all citizens enjoy equality before the law and the ability to marry the person they love, regardless of their gender?

[Yvette Cooper]

My hon. Friend is right. Couples who love each other should be able to get married, regardless of their gender and sexuality. We should enjoy that and we should celebrate that. We all love a good wedding: we pause when we walk by a church or a registry office and we smile at the couple coming out in a cloud of confetti, because we think it is a great thing that a couple want to get married and want to celebrate that.