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MP accuses fellow Tories of trying to 'derail' gay marriage bill MP accuses fellow Tories of trying to 'derail' gay marriage bill
(4 months later)
A prominent Tory supporter of gay marriage accused fellow Conservative MPs of attempting to "derail" the bill on Thursday as David Cameron struggles to maintain control of his party ahead of a series of votes on same sex marriage in the Commons next week.A prominent Tory supporter of gay marriage accused fellow Conservative MPs of attempting to "derail" the bill on Thursday as David Cameron struggles to maintain control of his party ahead of a series of votes on same sex marriage in the Commons next week.
As George Osborne leads an unofficial operation to keep opposition to the bill below 50% of the party's MPs, Mike Freer said opponents were tabling a "superficially attractive" amendment that could undermine the bill.As George Osborne leads an unofficial operation to keep opposition to the bill below 50% of the party's MPs, Mike Freer said opponents were tabling a "superficially attractive" amendment that could undermine the bill.
The MP for Finchley and Golders Green, who is in a civil partnership and who told Tory opponents of the bill earlier this year that they were asking him to "stand apart and to join a separate queue", spoke out after a group of Tories expressed confidence that they will succeed in amending the bill to grant civil partnerships to heterosexual couples.The MP for Finchley and Golders Green, who is in a civil partnership and who told Tory opponents of the bill earlier this year that they were asking him to "stand apart and to join a separate queue", spoke out after a group of Tories expressed confidence that they will succeed in amending the bill to grant civil partnerships to heterosexual couples.
Freer warned this could undermine the bill. He told the Guardian: "I think the original amendment to extend civil partnerships to heterosexual couples is superficially attractive. But there are some practical difficulties about how this would be implemented. Maria Miller [the culture secretary] has been quite right to say there is a valid point but we need to look at it in a bit of time to see how civil partnerships bed down post equal marriage.Freer warned this could undermine the bill. He told the Guardian: "I think the original amendment to extend civil partnerships to heterosexual couples is superficially attractive. But there are some practical difficulties about how this would be implemented. Maria Miller [the culture secretary] has been quite right to say there is a valid point but we need to look at it in a bit of time to see how civil partnerships bed down post equal marriage.
"There is always a danger that some people who are moving some of the amendments are not seeking to be helpful but actually seeking to derail the bill and hiding behind superficial 'helpfulness'. That is why Maria Miller has been very careful and cautious in saying: 'You have raised some interesting points and perhaps we do need to look at this but this isn't the right bill to do it. Let's see what happens after the bill passes and come back once we have seen how things pan out'.""There is always a danger that some people who are moving some of the amendments are not seeking to be helpful but actually seeking to derail the bill and hiding behind superficial 'helpfulness'. That is why Maria Miller has been very careful and cautious in saying: 'You have raised some interesting points and perhaps we do need to look at this but this isn't the right bill to do it. Let's see what happens after the bill passes and come back once we have seen how things pan out'."
Tim Loughton, the former Tory children's minister who has tabled the amendment, rejected the idea that he is trying to scupper the bill. Loughton, who voted against the marriage (same sex couples) bill during the first commons debate in February, told the Guardian: "It is absolutely not a wrecking amendment. It is getting a huge amount of support from people who are passionately in favour of the bill. They clearly wouldn't be supporting it if they thought it was a wrecking amendment. This whole business of having to delay and consult doesn't hold water – they have already done that consultation."Tim Loughton, the former Tory children's minister who has tabled the amendment, rejected the idea that he is trying to scupper the bill. Loughton, who voted against the marriage (same sex couples) bill during the first commons debate in February, told the Guardian: "It is absolutely not a wrecking amendment. It is getting a huge amount of support from people who are passionately in favour of the bill. They clearly wouldn't be supporting it if they thought it was a wrecking amendment. This whole business of having to delay and consult doesn't hold water – they have already done that consultation."
One Tory said that the Labour party, which strongly backs the bill, is hoping to find ways of undermining David Cameron by backing the Loughton amendment. The source said: "The Labour party is trying to cause maximum embarrassment for the Tories. They see the way to do that is to say it is a free vote but encourage their troops to vote in favour of the amendment."One Tory said that the Labour party, which strongly backs the bill, is hoping to find ways of undermining David Cameron by backing the Loughton amendment. The source said: "The Labour party is trying to cause maximum embarrassment for the Tories. They see the way to do that is to say it is a free vote but encourage their troops to vote in favour of the amendment."
Tory divisions over the bill were highlighted when Philip Hammond, the defence secretary, criticised Downing Street for wasting parliamentary time on the issue and angering vast numbers of people. Speaking on BBC1's Question Time he said there was no huge demand for same-sex marriage.Tory divisions over the bill were highlighted when Philip Hammond, the defence secretary, criticised Downing Street for wasting parliamentary time on the issue and angering vast numbers of people. Speaking on BBC1's Question Time he said there was no huge demand for same-sex marriage.
Downing Street said that Hammond was entitled to speak out because MPs will have a free vote. But it is understood that in private George Osborne has been lobbying on behalf of the change because two thirds of the government whips' office are opposed to the bill. These include Nicki Morgan who is the whip for Miller's culture department.Downing Street said that Hammond was entitled to speak out because MPs will have a free vote. But it is understood that in private George Osborne has been lobbying on behalf of the change because two thirds of the government whips' office are opposed to the bill. These include Nicki Morgan who is the whip for Miller's culture department.
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