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Gay marriage: Nigel Farage refuses to say 'I do' Gay marriage: Nigel Farage refuses to say 'I do'
(about 1 hour later)
Nigel Farage has sidestepped attempts to force him to say whether he supports gay marriage, arguing it would be a matter for the House of Commons to decide.Nigel Farage has sidestepped attempts to force him to say whether he supports gay marriage, arguing it would be a matter for the House of Commons to decide.
The normally opinionated Ukip leader appeared to want to avoid coming down one side or the other partly due to divisions within his party's ranks, and fears that whatever position he adopts will alienate some of his support.The normally opinionated Ukip leader appeared to want to avoid coming down one side or the other partly due to divisions within his party's ranks, and fears that whatever position he adopts will alienate some of his support.
Ukip issued a statement on gay marriage to Pink News two weeks ago, thought to have been cleared with Farage, saying the party was reviewing its opposition to gay marriage. Ukip said the statement had been issued in error. Ukip issued a statement to Pink News two weeks ago, thought to have been cleared with Farage, saying the party was reviewing its opposition to gay marriage. Ukip said the statement had been issued in error.
Speaking on LBC radio, Farage highlighted the dangers of supporting gay marriage while Britain was in the EU, saying it was likely the European Union would force churches to hold gay marriage ceremonies against their will.Speaking on LBC radio, Farage highlighted the dangers of supporting gay marriage while Britain was in the EU, saying it was likely the European Union would force churches to hold gay marriage ceremonies against their will.
He said: "We are opening up a very big can of worms here, with many very big risks. I think the Church of England is going to go through a very difficult and miserable time as it is dragged through the courts of Strasbourg. I can't prejudge what will happen there, but possibly forced to conduct gay marriages in those churches against the will of vast majority of churchgoers."He said: "We are opening up a very big can of worms here, with many very big risks. I think the Church of England is going to go through a very difficult and miserable time as it is dragged through the courts of Strasbourg. I can't prejudge what will happen there, but possibly forced to conduct gay marriages in those churches against the will of vast majority of churchgoers."
Pressed to explain his position on gay marriage if Britain was not in the EU, Farage said: "I do not support same sex marriages all the while we're under the auspices of the European court of human rights." Pressed to explain his position on gay marriage if Britain were not in the EU, Farage said: "I do not support same sex marriages all the while we're under the auspices of the European court of human rights."
Pressed a second time he said, he said: "Come out of Europe and we can have a sensible debate about same sex marriages and how we conduct it." Pressed a second time he said: "Come out of Europe and we can have a sensible debate about same-sex marriages and how we conduct it."
Challenged a third time, Farage said: "That's going to be up to the House of Commons to decide. We're signing up to something and we do not know where it's going to lead."Challenged a third time, Farage said: "That's going to be up to the House of Commons to decide. We're signing up to something and we do not know where it's going to lead."
However, he did say he did not believe in retrospective legislation, suggesting any marriages conducted after Saturday would not be declared null and void, in the event of gay marriage no longer being recognised by the Commons.However, he did say he did not believe in retrospective legislation, suggesting any marriages conducted after Saturday would not be declared null and void, in the event of gay marriage no longer being recognised by the Commons.
Farage was equally evasive when questioned on the issue during the LBC debate with Nick Clegg on Wednesday. He said then: "We are signed up to the European court of human rights in Strasbourg and where we have the risk that our established church and possibly other faith communities could ultimately under discrimination laws be forced to conduct services that they find anathema. If we get rid of the ECHR and it doesn't have a dominant place over our society, we will look at it again."Farage was equally evasive when questioned on the issue during the LBC debate with Nick Clegg on Wednesday. He said then: "We are signed up to the European court of human rights in Strasbourg and where we have the risk that our established church and possibly other faith communities could ultimately under discrimination laws be forced to conduct services that they find anathema. If we get rid of the ECHR and it doesn't have a dominant place over our society, we will look at it again."
Ukip previously said civil partnerships were a "common sense" way for gay and lesbian couples to register their commitment in a formal way. Ukip previously said civil partnerships were a "commonsense" way for gay and lesbian couples to register their commitment in a formal way.
But it warned: "Gay marriage is an entirely different thing altogether."But it warned: "Gay marriage is an entirely different thing altogether."
Interviewed recently by Pink News, Farage was asked by a reader if Ukip would seek to abolish the marriages of gay and lesbian couples entered into after 29 March 2014 in its 2015 manifesto,. He simply replied: "No." Interviewed recently by Pink News, Farage was asked by a reader if Ukip would seek to abolish the marriages of gay and lesbian couples entered into after 29 March 2014 in its 2015 manifesto,. He simply replied: "No."
In a statement issued a week ago, Ukip said. "There is an ongoing debate within Ukip about how we can protect faith communities from ultimately being compelled to conduct same sex marriages against their beliefs and their will. We note that some gay rights activists are already talking about taking legal action in Strasbourg to force this issue." In a statement issued a week ago, Ukip said. "There is an ongoing debate within Ukip about how we can protect faith communities from ultimately being compelled to conduct same-sex marriages against their beliefs and their will. We note that some gay rights activists are already talking about taking legal action in Strasbourg to force this issue."
He has also called for a move towards the French marriage system, where the legal act of marriage is separated from religious ceremonies.He has also called for a move towards the French marriage system, where the legal act of marriage is separated from religious ceremonies.
Farage suggested his party would seek to augment civil marriages with civil partnerships. "We propose an augmentation of the civil partnership awarding it equal status to marriage and enabling it to be available to all. We would rather the legal and religious endorsements of wedlock are separate," he said. Farage said: "We propose an augmentation of the civil partnership, awarding it equal status to marriage and enabling it to be available to all. We would rather the legal and religious endorsements of wedlock are separate."