Parliament has held its first civil partnership last weekend when it hosted the ceremony for Foreign Office minister Chris Bryant and his partner Jared Cranney

As civil partnerships can't be held in church the couple had the ceremony performed in the MPs' dining room.

The Speaker of the House obtained a licence from Westminster council to allow the ceremony to take place in the Palace of Westminster.  This means that members of the public will now be allowed to have their civil partnerships registered in parliament.

Mr Bryant and Mr Cranney said:
"We never thought this day would come – and never thought we'd have to worry about cakes and flowers and rings.

"It's amazing how much things have changed in such a short time.

"Only a few years ago there was a different gay age of consent, you could sack people or refuse to serve them just because of their sexuality and gays were banned from the military, from adopting or getting married."