{{UK Parliament voted heavily in favour of legalising gay marriage on Tuesday, but Prime Minister David Cameron’s authority in his own party took a blow as his Conservatives split in two over the measure he had championed.}}<\/p>\n
In the first of several votes required for its passage, the lower house of parliament backed the legislation by 400-175, but more than half of Cameron’s 303 MPs voted against or abstained, signalling deep unease with it and his leadership.<\/p>\n
During a debate that lasted more than six hours, many Conservative MPs denounced the legislation, saying it was morally wrong, not a public priority, and unnecessarily divisive, threatening a corrosive legacy of bitterness.<\/p>\n
Conservative lawmaker Gerald Howarth told parliament that the government had no mandate to push through a “massive social and cultural change”.<\/p>\n
“This is not evolution, it’s revolution,” added Edward Leigh, another Conservative member of parliament, saying marriage was “by its nature a heterosexual union”.<\/p>\n
Although the vote went Cameron’s way, many analysts believe he will now have to address a deep seam of discontent running through his party.<\/p>\n
He made a last minute televised statement ahead of the vote, arguing gay marriage would make society stronger.<\/p>\n
“I’m a big believer in marriage. It helps people to commit to each other, and I think that’s why gay people should be able to get married too,” he said.<\/p>\n
He later hailed the result of the vote as “a step forward for our country”.<\/p>\n
Reuters…http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/conservatives-split-first-gay-marriage-vote-passes-072132532.html<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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