Herne Bay MP Sir Roger Gale defends remarks made in Commons on gay marriage bill
Kent MP Sir Roger Gale has hit back at claims he compared
gay marriage to incest.
The Tory, who represents North Thanet, says comments he made in
the Commons have been misrepresented and misunderstood.
He claims remarks he made about brother and sister relationships
were about protecting property and legal rights for siblings living
together.
Speaking as a TV broadcaster claimed he compared same-sex
marriages to incest, he said: "This is barking!
"In the Commons debate I put forward the thesis that it was
worth considering abolishing civil marriage and civil partnerships
and introducing a Civil Union Bill in their place.
"This would leave marriage, as historically understood and
defined as between one man and one woman, to faith groups and would
afford the ‘equality’ that the government claims to seek to
achieve, to all.
"That would – as I said - include brother and brother - the
Bedser Twins are an example - and sister and sister or brother and
sister.
"I appreciate that the world is obsessed with sex but this has
to do, simply, with the legal and property rights of those who are
at present excluded from protection under the Civil Partnerships
Act.
"There appears to be no limit to the ability of some to seek to
misrepresent or misunderstand a perfectly clear intention!"
The Bedser twins were identical twins and professional
cricketers Eric and Sir Alec. Neither married and they lived
together in a house they built with their father in 1953.
05/02/13
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