Scotland to introduce gay marriage

[Truronian]

BBC article here

Not exactly breaking news (was announced last month), but I thought it deserved a thread.

I find it an interesting move from the SNP; same-sex marriage is meant to be going through UK-wide in next few years. Does this mean the SNP don't trust the coalitions promises, or do they want to take some of the credit for this personally. I'm inclined to think this is a move to emphasize that Scotland can and will do things in their on their own schedule and more efficiently than Westminster ahead of the referendum on independence.

 

[Borachio]

For me the whole marriage debate is pretty much a non-story. Indeed so much so that I thought same-sex marriage was already lawful. (If an issue doesn't bother me, I tend to pay very little attention.)

So that only leaves whether Scotland is going to do it first - to show it can. Looks a quite likely motive to me.

I don't think there's anything else I can add.

But what about civil partnerships for heterosexuals? Is that a possibility? Or will civil partnerships simply fade away.

What's next? What stand should I take on civil partnerships between no-sex couples?

A large part of the issue was about inheritance and access to dying partners in hospital and that sort of thing, wasn't it?

So what to do about people who are simply friends?

Ah well forget it. It's another non-issue.

 

[AlpsStranger]

*sigh*

I love America, I really do, but simple things have to be so difficult here.

Good for Scotland and the rest of the UK.

 

[Old Hippy]

*sigh*

I love America, I really do, but simple things have to be so difficult here.

Good for Scotland and the rest of the UK.

you think America makes things difficult... Australia has a female prime minister,who is single, lives with a guy in the official residence... is a proclaimed athiest who publicly denies Gods existence.... but still "comes out" against gay marriage... on the grounds that tradition should not be tampered with...

*sigh*

 

[Tee Kay]

you think America makes things difficult... Australia has a female prime minister,who is single, lives with a guy in the official residence... is a proclaimed athiest who publicly denies Gods existence.... but still "comes out" against gay marriage... on the grounds that tradition should not be tampered with...

*sigh*

Not to mention the vast majority of the population supports gay marriage.

 

[bhsup]

I read about this in a different BBC article first. Oddly, they give different impressions of those responses to the government consultation.

From the article linked to in the OP: "The announcement was made in the wake of a government consultation which produced a record 77,508 responses."

From the BBC article I read earlier: "The Scottish government decided to change the law despite most of those who replied to its consultation opposing reform."

 

[Truronian]

VRWC: Got this from an infobox in another different article.

Gay marriage consultation

- The Scottish government held a public consultation into the issue of same-sex marriage.

-It had the biggest response of any Scottish government consultation.

-There were 77,508 responses in total, with 14,779 from outside Scotland.

-Some 64% of those who responded [including postcard and petition responses] said they were against same-sex marriage.

-Excluding postcard and petition responses to the consultation from within Scotland the outcome shows 65% were in favour and 35% against.