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| Gay marriage conversion process has 'no heart', say same-sex couples | Gay marriage conversion process has 'no heart', say same-sex couples |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government's proposed process for converting civil partnerships into full marriages has come under fire from some same-sex couples who say it has "no heart" and is more like getting a new tax disc than having a wedding. | |
| The coalition government passed laws enabling same-sex marriage in the UK last year, but owing to complications with the tax code and other aspects of the law it was not immediately possible for couples with civil partnership to switch to full married status. | |
| Plans are now under way to allow couples to convert their partnership into a marriage from December 2014. But couples who are applying have been told they will have to present themselves at to a register office, rather than the wide choice of approved premises for marriages, where they will be issued a "certificate of conversion" rather than a marriage certificate, though the two are legally equivalent. | |
| There is no formal ceremony accompanying the process, which is free for the first year. Couples are able, guidance from several councils notes, to "have a non-official ceremony after the conversion at a place of your choice". | There is no formal ceremony accompanying the process, which is free for the first year. Couples are able, guidance from several councils notes, to "have a non-official ceremony after the conversion at a place of your choice". |
| Jakki Livesey-van Dorst, who entered a civil partnership with her partner, Sheila in 2006, has launched a petition on Change.org calling for Nick Boles, who since last week's reshuffle has ministerial responsibility for implementing equal marriage, to rethink the conversion ceremonies. | |
| Livesey-van Dorst had hoped to hold her wedding on Saturday 18 July 2015, the 9th anniversary of her civil partnership, but under the current proposals this would not be possible as the office will be closed. | |
| "A certificate of conversion sounds as if I've changed my car to LPG, the process has as much humanity as taxing the car, and it has to be miles away from my home at a register office, on Monday to Friday business hours," she explained. | "A certificate of conversion sounds as if I've changed my car to LPG, the process has as much humanity as taxing the car, and it has to be miles away from my home at a register office, on Monday to Friday business hours," she explained. |
| "We have spoken to the registrar who makes it clear that the conversion process is a desk-based exercise, with just us and the registrar. There is no provision for supporters or celebration. | |
| "Sure, we will be legally married, but the restrictions on the process exclude all emotion, and forbid celebration at that precious moment of marriage and equality. It is as if we are an embarrassment to the establishment. They offered us a step towards equality, we took it – now they have to grudgingly let us have the full deal." | |
| Livesey-van Dorst said the certificate of conversion could also cause practical complications, as often civil partnerships were not recognised by border officials or immigration officers, and she was concerned "certificates of conversion" would be largely unfamiliar to officers. | Livesey-van Dorst said the certificate of conversion could also cause practical complications, as often civil partnerships were not recognised by border officials or immigration officers, and she was concerned "certificates of conversion" would be largely unfamiliar to officers. |
| Nick Boles, who became minister of state for skills and enterprise in last week's reshuffle, picked up responsibility for equal marriage at the same time because Nicky Morgan, who was given the rest of the equalities portfolio, voted against same-sex marriage. | |
| Boles, who is himself in a civil partnership, told the Guardian he was aware of concerns with the civil partnership conversion process and offered to meet petitioners. | |
| "As you will be aware, I was only appointed last week and so make no claim to complete knowledge of the finer details of the equal marriage regulations," he said. "I am aware of the concerns that you outlined and have already asked for an official briefing. I am in a civil partnership myself and so any such provisions would apply to me and my partner too. | "As you will be aware, I was only appointed last week and so make no claim to complete knowledge of the finer details of the equal marriage regulations," he said. "I am aware of the concerns that you outlined and have already asked for an official briefing. I am in a civil partnership myself and so any such provisions would apply to me and my partner too. |
| "I will of course be happy to meet a delegation of petitioners, if they would find that helpful." | "I will of course be happy to meet a delegation of petitioners, if they would find that helpful." |
| Labour's shadow minister for women and equality, Gloria De Piero, said the government proposals as they stood were "discriminatory and unfair" in a letter to Boles, and said Labour was willing to work with the coalition government to revise the plans. |