British Prime Minister David Cameron
has reiterated his support for legalizing gay marriage.
The UK's ruling party, the Conservative
Party, which governs in coalition with the Liberal Democrats, last
September unveiled plans to make gay nuptials legal before 2015. Gay
and lesbian couples are currently recognized with civil partnerships,
which offer most of the legal protections of marriage. Heterosexual
couples are not allowed to enter a civil partnership.
Speaking with the Evening
Standard, Cameron said he is “clear about my views” on
the subject, adding: “I ask myself the question, why is it that we
deny gay couples the ability to get married, and I don't think that's
right.”
Speaking about the heated debate the
proposal has created in his own party and the Church, Cameron said:
“Obviously this is a controversial issue. I feel the time for
change has come. If you ask, particularly young people, they say
this feels like a very natural change to make.” And he insisted,
“We are not changing what happens in church.”
“The Conservative Party has been on a
journey to where all small-c institutions go, in a modern world,
which is that if marriage is good for heterosexuals it is good for
gay couples too,” he said.
(Related: David
Cameron thanked for gay marriage support as Obama looks on.)