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MSPs to debate gay marriage law

MSPs to debate gay marriage law

The first vote on controversial proposals to legalise same-sex marriage takes place at the Scottish Parliament today.

MSPs will debate a report produced by the equal opportunities committee in the first stage of a three-part process.

Committee members, who have taken evidence from organisations on both sides of the debate, have said they support the general aim of the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill.

First Minister Alex Salmond is a passionate supporter of same-sex marriage and Health Secretary Alex Neil, who is leading on the issue on behalf of the Scottish Government, has also backed legalisation as “the right thing to do”.

“We are striving to create a Scotland that is fairer and more tolerant, where everyone is treated equally,” said Mr Neil.

The government has promised safeguards to protect people and organisations who do not want to conduct ceremonies or have discussions on the subject in schools.

Gay marriage campaigners will stage a rally outside Holyrood today in a last effort to persuade MSPs to back the proposed legislation. The Equality Network highlighted a recent opinion poll which showed 64% of Scots were in favour of same-sex marriage and 26% were opposed.

It claims the policy, recently backed by MPs at Westminster, was fast becoming the international norm and had been embraced in countries such as Iceland, Norway, Sweden, France and Portugal.

Tom French of Equality Network said: “Today the Scottish Parliament has the historic opportunity to stand up for a fairer and more equal Scotland by voting for this milestone legislation. As the polls show, the large majority of people in Scotland believe it’s time LGBT people had full equality, including the right to marry the person they love.”

Research by Equality Network indicates that 97 of Scotland’s 127 MSPs eligible to vote are in favour of same-sex marriage.

Seventeen, including Western Isles SNP MSP Alasdair Allan, north-east Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch SNP MSP Dave Thompson and Angus North and Mearns SNP MSP Nigel Don, have signalled they would reject it.