Peter Tatchell

It has been one year since four gay and four heterosexual couples, sponsored by the Equal Love campaign, filed a joint appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), claiming that Britain's twin legal bans on same-sex civil marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships amount to illegal discrimination, contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Soon after the ECHR appeal was filed, the government announced its intention to consult on the issue of same-sex marriage. However, as long as this consultation is limited to same-sex marriage and heterosexual couples remain banned from civil partnerships, the Equal Love campaign have announced they will continue.

In the Netherlands, where civil partnerships are open to both gay and heterosexual couples, two-thirds of civil partners are straight men and women, which could be a similar take-up by heterosexual couples in Britain, if civil partnerships were open to everyone. 

The Equal Love campaign think that David Cameron miscalculated by ruling out any legalisation of religious same-sex marriages, even by faith organisations, such as the Quakers and Unitarians, who want to conduct them. They claim this is an attack on religious freedom, as well as perpetrating homophobic discrimination.

The right of gay couples to marry is backed by David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg, Boris Johnson and a growing number of Tory MPs, including Chloe Smith, Mike Weatherley and Margot James.

Some people argue that there is nothing to consult about because homophobic discrimination is wrong and should therefore be abolished immediately and say the  public is on our side.

A Populus poll in 2009 found that 61% of the public believe: "Gay couples should have an equal right to get married, not just to have civil partnerships." Only 33% disagreed. It's likely that there is similar support for heterosexual civil partnerships.

Peter Tatchell is the coordinator of the Equal Love campaign.

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