Message from Ben Summerskill, Chief Executive of Stonewall:
Dear Supporter,
MPs voted by a majority of 225 in favour of the new Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. The final vote in favour of marriage was 400 to 175 at Second Reading and the Bill will now go into its Commons Committee Stage.
As the last piece of the legislative jigsaw providing equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Britain, this is a truly historic step forward. We’re absolutely delighted that MPs have demonstrated so overwhelmingly that they’re in touch with the twenty-first century.
Happily, the size of the Commons majority seen tonight – much larger than for most normal Government business and somewhat larger than we expected – will make it very difficult for the House of Lords to suggest that the Bill should be rejected. However we still anticipate, as always, a tough battle in the Lords.
We’re grateful to the thousands of Stonewall supporters, many of them straight, who played a big part in tonight’s success by contacting their MPs in support. If you were one of them, thank you.
With very best wishes,
Ben Summerskill
Chief Executive
