"@JaeKay Got asked abt this today &made clear I support principle of gay marriage. Need to consult on how to implement."
District councillors have refused to take a cut in their allowances - despite the idea potentially saving civic centre jobs.They'll be happy to cut other people's wages but not their own. Sad, but true.
Members of Shepway District Council met last week where the motion of chopping 10 per cent off their £3,867 basic allowance was discussed.
It was estimated the reduction in expenses, which also included special responsibility allowances, would free up around £40,000 in the budget - more than the salary of a number of frontline council staff.
But the motion, which was put forward by the Liberal Democrats and backed by People First, was defeated by the majority Conservative administration.
Outraged Lib Dem leader Lynne Beaumont said "I'm absolutely disgusted as this cut in allowances could save a job on the council
One councillor who refused the change said she worked hard for her money - well, so do the people who work for the Shepway District Council
We are facing tough times ahead when we will no doubt have to lose job, yet the Tory leadership clearly felt their expenses were more important than the jobs of the people who work here at the council."
So the provision of ‘marriage’ as opposed to the provision of same-sex or heterosexual civil unions, is intimately bound up with questions of religious freedom."
"On the issue of marriage I think the reality is there is a cultural, religious, historical view around that which we have to respect. The party's position is very clear that this is an institution that is between a man and a woman."
"I hope there will come a time when this country can look back and wonder why some in this place and some in this government were so frightened of and antagonistic to certain types of relationships. I look to a day, to paraphrase a great man, when we not only judge people by the content of their character but also where we judge their relationships by markers such as respect, commitment, love and security and not by the gender of their partners. I look to a day when government policy and articulation is not so mired in prejudice that it can address these issues fairly. One thing I do know is that that will only come under a Labor government." (Emphasis ours.)"Oh Penny, I think the game is up. Of course she came back with some statement about discrimination which made no sense.
Changing Attitude, LGCM, Stonewall, LGB Consortium, Lesbian and Gay Foundation and Outrage have been invited by Lynne Featherstone MP, the Minister for Equalities, to a discussion at the Home Office on Tuesday 27th July. With Jeremy Timm, the chair of trustees, I will be representing CA.
This is part of the coalition government’s commitment to talk to those with a key interest in what the next stage should be for civil partnerships. This now includes, in the government’s careful phrasing, that “…some religious organisations can allow same-sex couples the opportunity to register their relationship in a religious setting if they wish to do so.”
There’s this one celebrity, Rosie O’Donnell, a talk show host, and she said this: “I don’t know anything about Afghanistan, but I know it’s full of terrorists, speaking as a mother.” So what is this "speaking as a mother" then? Is that a euphemism for "talking out of my arse"? "Suspending rational thought for a moment"? As a rational human being, Al-Qaeda are a loose association of psychopathic zealots who could be rounded up with a sustained police investigation. But speaking as a parent, they’re all eight foot tall, they’ve got lasers under their moustaches, a huge eye in their foreheads and the only way to kill them is to NUKE every country that hasn’t sent us a Christmas card in the the last 20 years!! Speaking as a mother.
"Carr and his queeny TV cohorts merely reinforce outdated prejudices of gay men as simpering, soppy, superficial cissies."
"It’s time to put the girly, shrill, absurdly camp and frequently crude caricatures back in the closet. It’s time to let the spirit of John Inman and Larry Grayson rest in peace."
"I think it is important in life to speak as it is and the fact is that we are a very effective partner of the US but we are the junior partner," he said.
"We were the junior partner in 1940 when we were fighting the Nazis."
1940 was "our finest hour". We stood alone against fascism. How can a British PM get that wrong? Its a slight not a slip.
"And I should say that the people of the Rhondda remember Churchill's period in relation to the Tonypandy riots. However, the Lord Chancellor has responsibility for marriage law, and he will know that the law forbids civil weddings from including religious readings or music, even though many people who are not able to get married in church or who do not want to do so would like to have such readings. The Government say that they will allow that for civil partnerships, but not for civil weddings. Can we not have a little more equality for heterosexuals?"
"I am answering this question because I am the only one in the village. [Laughter.] I apologise to the hon. Gentleman for the fact that his question was transferred. The Equality Act 2010 removed the express prohibition on civil partnership registrations taking place on religious premises. In response to that amendment of the law, the Government are committed to talking to those with a key interest in how to take this forward. That will include consideration of whether civil partnerships should be allowed to include religious readings, music and symbols, and the implications for marriage will have to be considered as part of that."
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to amend the law to allow religious music and readings at civil weddings and civil partnerships.
Civil partnership and civil marriage registrations are entirely secular in nature and prohibited from taking place on religious premises or containing any religious language, or religious music.
An amendment made during the passage of the Equality Act 2010 removed the express prohibition on civil partnership registrations taking place on religious premises. In response to this amendment, the Government committed to talking to those with a key interest in this issue about what the next stage should be for civil partnerships. This will include consideration of whether civil partnerships should be allowed to include religious readings, music and symbols. This commitment was made clear in the Government's published document 'Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality', published on 16 June 2010.
We will begin this exercise before the summer parliamentary recess.
Dave Page: LGBT Lib Dems have had confirmation today that our Marriage Without Borders policy motion has been accepted for debate at Federal Conference this autumn on the Tuesday morning. This means that equal marriage should finally become official Liberal Democrat party policy, rather than something promoted by our Leader.
We would encourage all voting reps to support this motion, and everybody else to pester their voting reps to do so
"Q (from Jae): Following Ed Balls and Diane Abbott announcing their support for marriage equality, will he retract his comments about there not being enough people calling for it and come out in support of LGBT equality?
A. My position on this is pretty simple, which is that we did a consultation in the run up to the manifesto, and it wasn’t raised with me as an issue. But obviously if it’s something that is felt to be an important issue, I understand absolutely the reasons for that, and then it’s something we should definitely look at. And I’m very happy to say that and I completely understand and sympathise with the wish for equality in this area."
"Q (from Jae): Following Ed Balls and Diane Abbott announcing their support for marriage equality, will he retract his comments about there not being enough people calling for it and come out in support of LGBT equality?
A. My position on this is pretty simple, which is that we did a consultation in the run up to the manifesto, and it wasn’t raised with me as an issue. But obviously if it’s something that is felt to be an important issue, I understand absolutely the reasons for that, and then it’s something we should definitely look at. And I’m very happy to say that and I completely understand and sympathise with the wish for equality in this area."
However, they would not apply to ceremonies in church - only those in a register office or other licensed venue
“I stand personally on the feeling that telling people what they can and can’t wear, if they’re just walking down the street, is a rather un-British thing to do,” he said. “We’re a tolerant and mutually respectful society.
“There are times, clearly, when you’ve got to be able to identify yourself, and people have got to be able to see your face, but I think it’s very unlikely and it would be undesirable for the British Parliament to try and pass a law dictating what people wore.
"I have always supported gay marriage and made that case when civil partnerships were first discussed. Despite what may now be reported, it wasn’t New Labour that first proposed civil partnerships but Ken Livingstone in his first administration. I supported it then, way before New Labour had the bravery to put this issue into legislation."
Khalid says that as a British Muslim, he feels gay men have yet to find answers to some very difficult questions: "If it is wrong to be gay, should we force ourselves into heterosexual marriages?
"And in doing so, should we lie to the women we get married to? Or should we go for marriages of convenience with lesbians? Or, should we just remain celibate?" he asked.
In fact, there is some evidence to suggest that those who dare to come out and seek long term same-sex relationships are sometimes not content with the idea of civil partnerships.
They desire religious recognition of their union, with some reportedly taking the daring step of entering into nikkahs (Muslim marriage contracts).
Different organisations are trying to tackle the taboo
Mr Qureshi said he was aware of couples who had opted for such nikkahs but stressed that these were performed by imams in absolute secrecy.
Muslim gay activist Ibrahim Ismail has been working on sexual health issues for many years.
He said: "Some of their families and friends may even attend these nikkahs, but they would never publicly admit it for fear of being ostracised by mainstream Muslims.
"They are very much invisible."
Question removed at request of asker, see link above.Religious bodies are NOT allowed to carry out a same sex marriage Mr Miliband, your Government introduced civil partnerships NOT marriage. The Government needs to get it's nose out of both the sex lives of it's citizens and the practices a religious body is allowed to carry out on it's premises. Sadly, Labour continues to spread disinformation about what it introduced and is becoming ever more morally repugnant (to me anyway!).
A. I think that religious bodies are allowed to actually. Actually, I was asked this last week by Pink News. The last civil partnership I went to, from two friends, full of…replete with all of the devotion, commitment, lifelong commitment that’s associated with marriage and that puts civil partnerships on a par with marriage. As it happens I haven’t had raised with me this issue and whether or not the particular issue, raising it as some people do. I haven’t got a closed mind about it. But I think we should celebrate what civil partnership is which is, finally, equality for gay people.
When I was studying theology at school, I remember attending a conference where a Pakistani Christian man was speaking. He had been severely wounded in his homeland by an automatic firearm, used on him by religious extremists who had already killed his family. His face still bore the scars.
The fact of the matter is: the churches are fueling murderous rage with lies and Bible quotes. The Bible quotes I can stand but the anti-West rhetoric that claims homosexuality is a form of "economic colonialism" and the anti-scientific nonsense ("Who will all the women marry if all the men become gay?" and "No male dog lusts after another male dog") was too much to bear considering the consequences for LGBT individuals.
According to the Colchester Daily Gazette, it condemned gays and lesbians and said they should be jailed.
Mr Shaw was arrested on June 11th on suspicion of inciting hatred, specifically homophobia. He was released on bail without charge until the middle of next month.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Why mention it? Well, this CiF piece in the Guardian wants us to look again at the arguments against it so we are prepared against those calling for it's return.
"We, the English Defence League, are a grass roots social movement who represent every walk of life, every race, every creed and every colour; from the working class to middle England. Our unity and diversity is our strength.
We have members that represent our culturally rich, “patriotic” and nation-loving populace. People who can see the threat of “Islamism” for what it is: a vile and virulent ideology based on 7th century barbarity, intolerance, hatred, subjugation and war."About page
"If you believe, as we do, that the Pope should not come to the UK without hearing from the millions of people who reject his harsh, intolerant views and the practices and policies of the Vatican State please get involved."
