British parliament passes bill legalizing same-sex marriage
Baku, February 6 (AZERTAC). British parliament passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage Tuesday.
Prime Minister David Cameron and other senior British officials threw their support behind a gay marriage bill ahead of a key Parliament vote on the divisive topic.
The bill enables same-sex couples to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies, provided that the religious institution consents. The proposals have divided opinion among members of Cameron's Conservative Party and dozens of them are expected to vote against the bill later Tuesday.
In a last-minute statement, Cameron -- who did not attend the debate -- said passing the bill is "an important step forward" for Britain.
"I am a strong believer in marriage. It helps people commit to each other and I think it is right that gay people should be able to get married too," he said. "This is, yes, about equality. But it is also about making our society stronger."
Despite stronger-than-expected opposition within the Conservative ranks, the bill is expected to pass with support from most lawmakers in the left-leaning Labour Party and Liberal Democrats party.
Officials have stressed that all religious organizations can decide for themselves if they want to "opt in" to holding gay weddings. However, the Church of England, the country's official faith, is barred from performing such ceremonies unless it changes its laws.
The bill would also allow couples who had previously entered into civil partnerships to convert their relationship into a marriage.
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