October 2, 2018

PM says mixed-sex couples can enter into civil partnerships

The Government has announced today that it will now commit to extending civil partnerships to all.

The commitment, announced in today’s Evening Standard, is a response to the Supreme Court decision in June that a policy of single-sex civil partnerships only is discriminatory. However, no time-frame has been provided yet for the new legislation.

Martin Loat, Chair of the Equal Civil Partnerships campaign, says:

“We welcome today’s announcement as another important step forward towards civil partnerships for all.  Legislation would be fair, popular and promote stable families. Millions of couples will join us in thanking Penny Mordaunt, the Equalities Minister, for her support in getting to this point.   A promise is a promise but what we need now is action, and soon.  The Equal Civil Partnerships campaign won’t rest until legislation is in place and we are still not there yet.

“The next Parliamentary opportunity to amend the law will be the Report Stage of Tim Loughton MP’s Civil Partnerships, Marriages & Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill on Friday 26th October.  The Campaign is waiting to hear from the Government how it will now legislate to make good on its promise.”

Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, whose battle for a civil partnership, has taken them through the British courts up to their win in the Supreme Court, say:

“This is great news and a major step in the right direction, but we will only celebrate when legislation is agreed and the Government confirms the date for when the first different-sex civil partnership can take place. Change is long overdue. We’ve been struggling for four long years to open civil partnerships to all for the millions of couples like us who want legal recognition and financial protection for their relationship.

“Now we urge the Government to finish the job so that couples such as Joanna and Steve, who has terminal cancer, can celebrate their love for each other in a way that is meaningful to them, before it is too late.”