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Civil partnerships refusal 'a betrayal of equality'

DAVID CAMERON and his Tory cronies were accused yesterday of betraying equality after refusing to sanction civil partnerships for heterosexual couples.

Following the passing of gay marriage laws last year, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport launched a consultation on whether civil partnerships needed to be changed.

But its report found that three-quarters of the charities and organisations which replied were against extending civil partnerships to heterosexual couples.

One response highlighted in the report, from Christian Concern and Christian Legal Centre, said: “The introduction of heterosexual civil partnerships will inevitably discourage some opposite sex couples from marrying, and result in greater instability within families, by offering a parallel institution that provides all the legal rights and privileges of marriage without the need for lifelong commitment.”

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the the government “betrayed” the principle of equality.

He said: “Cameron’s government is maintaining legal discrimination against straight partners. In a democracy, we should all be equal before the law.”

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