Ministers reject simple change to marriage certificates to include mother’s name as unfair to gay couples (UK)

December 29, 2015October 1, 2021

The Telegraph 26 December 2015
Ministers have rejected a proposed new law to include mothers’ names on marriage certificates because it would not be fair to same sex couples.

David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has pledged to change the certificates, which currently only include the name of the father of the bride and groom, saying in 2014 that the current arrangement “does not reflect modern Britain”.

MPs are now proposing a new law in Parliament to allow the Government to replace tens of thousands of marriage certificate books with new ones that include a box for a mother’s name.

However the Home Office said that it could not agree with the plans – which have been supported by tens of thousands of people in an online petition – because they did not allow for same sex marriages.

Colin Hart, director of the Coalition for Marriage, criticised the Government. He said: “For most ordinary people naming the mother and father on a marriage certificate is an obvious thing to do and they could see no reason why the whole proposal should be vetoed because of a tiny proportion of children born into other relationships.

“This is political correctness defying commonsense. This is a small change but one which makes a huge difference to a large number of people and it is being denied because of concerns about offending people in a same sex marriage.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/12067271/Ministers-reject-simple-change-to-marriage-certificates-to-include-mothers-name-as-unfair-to-gay-couples.html