MP in favour of same-sex marriage missed Commons vote

9:52am Thursday 7th February 2013 in Local

BOLTON South East MP Yasmin Qureshi was unable to make the landmark vote allowing same sex couples to marry after her mother was taken ill.

Speaking ahead of the vote on Tuesday, Ms Qureshi had told The Bolton News she would be voting in favour of the legislation which would allow couples, regardless of their sexuality, to marry.

Under current legislation same-sex couples are only allowed to enter into civil partnerships, a legal relationship status.

Heterosexual couples can opt for a religious or a civil ceremony.

Religious organisations will not be forced to conduct same-sex marriages.

Ms Qureshi said: “Unfortunately I was unable to attend the debate and vote in Parliament on same-sex marriage because my mum was taken ill on Monday night and admitted to the Royal Bolton Hospital.

“I was with her on Monday evening and spent most of Tuesday at the hospital. If I had been able to get to Westminster I would have voted for the Bill.”

The gay marriage legislation cleared its hurdle in the Commons on Tuesday night when it had its second reading.

Bolton’s two other MPs were divided in their vote, with Bolton North East MP David Crausby voting against, and Bolton West MP Julie Hilling voting for the legislation.

Mr Crausby said the issue was not one of equality but one of diversity and claimed the legislation was “neither one thing nor another”.

The Prime Minister hailed the vote in favour as a “step forward for our country” after the House of Commons backed the proposals by a big margin of 400 to 175.

In December, Bank Street Unitarian Chapel became one of a handful of churches to be allowed to perform same-sex civil partnership ceremonies and at the time the Minister Stephen Lingwood said he hoped one day the church would be able to perform same-sex marriage.

Comments (8)

1:44pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Winston"2+2=5"Smith says...

I find it hard to believe that with all the problems the country is facing i.e. the NHS crumbling under the weight of health tourism, foreign criminal gangs indulging in all manor of fraud against the state, our electrical power infrastructure predicted to fail in the next 5 years with inevitable rolling blackouts due to the lack of investment, population density reaching critical mass mainly due to uncontrolled immigration not to mention all the problems that this entails namely the fracture of our society along religious and ethnic lines.
With all these aforementioned problems and many more besides I find it hard to believe that our political masters deem the subject of same sex marriage to be so politically urgent. Talk about playing the fiddle whilst Rome burns.
I find it hard to believe that with all the problems the country is facing i.e. the NHS crumbling under the weight of health tourism, foreign criminal gangs indulging in all manor of fraud against the state, our electrical power infrastructure predicted to fail in the next 5 years with inevitable rolling blackouts due to the lack of investment, population density reaching critical mass mainly due to uncontrolled immigration not to mention all the problems that this entails namely the fracture of our society along religious and ethnic lines. With all these aforementioned problems and many more besides I find it hard to believe that our political masters deem the subject of same sex marriage to be so politically urgent. Talk about playing the fiddle whilst Rome burns. Winston"2+2=5"Smith

2:05pm Thu 7 Feb 13

macauley says...

it will be the start of many problems in the years to come..
it will be the start of many problems in the years to come.[fact]. macauley

3:50pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Beyond News Forum says...

It's got **** all to do with anybody else how gay people wish to live theirs lives, get married etc. The religitards can just keep their chastizing, interfering, prohibiting, ignorant, selfish, prejudice, backward, out of date, bullsh!t, vengeful, hypocritical, out of touch, insensitive, cowardly, malice fueled, twisted, deceptive, anti this anti that, fk'd up logic to themselves.

I'm not gay but i can bet my last pennies that some moralistic jumped up religitard will have found offence at my statement of truth about them. Hurts doesn't it when someone has an opinion that does not concern them?

I'm fk'ing sick of all this bullsh!t being churned out on how people should be living their lives, and how the government see fit to even debate an issue that should not be up for debate. Fk off!
It's got **** all to do with anybody else how gay people wish to live theirs lives, get married etc. The religitards can just keep their chastizing, interfering, prohibiting, ignorant, selfish, prejudice, backward, out of date, bullsh!t, vengeful, hypocritical, out of touch, insensitive, cowardly, malice fueled, twisted, deceptive, anti this anti that, fk'd up logic to themselves. I'm not gay but i can bet my last pennies that some moralistic jumped up religitard will have found offence at my statement of truth about them. Hurts doesn't it when someone has an opinion that does not concern them? I'm fk'ing sick of all this bullsh!t being churned out on how people should be living their lives, and how the government see fit to even debate an issue that should not be up for debate. Fk off! Beyond News Forum

4:51pm Thu 7 Feb 13

macauley says...

Beyond News Forum wrote:
It's got **** all to do with anybody else how gay people wish to live theirs lives, get married etc. The religitards can just keep their chastizing, interfering, prohibiting, ignorant, selfish, prejudice, backward, out of date, bullsh!t, vengeful, hypocritical, out of touch, insensitive, cowardly, malice fueled, twisted, deceptive, anti this anti that, fk'd up logic to themselves. I'm not gay but i can bet my last pennies that some moralistic jumped up religitard will have found offence at my statement of truth about them. Hurts doesn't it when someone has an opinion that does not concern them? I'm fk'ing sick of all this bullsh!t being churned out on how people should be living their lives, and how the government see fit to even debate an issue that should not be up for debate. Fk off!
oooh,calm down now.
[quote][p][bold]Beyond News Forum[/bold] wrote: It's got **** all to do with anybody else how gay people wish to live theirs lives, get married etc. The religitards can just keep their chastizing, interfering, prohibiting, ignorant, selfish, prejudice, backward, out of date, bullsh!t, vengeful, hypocritical, out of touch, insensitive, cowardly, malice fueled, twisted, deceptive, anti this anti that, fk'd up logic to themselves. I'm not gay but i can bet my last pennies that some moralistic jumped up religitard will have found offence at my statement of truth about them. Hurts doesn't it when someone has an opinion that does not concern them? I'm fk'ing sick of all this bullsh!t being churned out on how people should be living their lives, and how the government see fit to even debate an issue that should not be up for debate. Fk off![/p][/quote]oooh,calm down now. macauley

8:40pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Leftythelion says...

600,000 people signed a petition opposing same sex marriage. This was disregarded in favour of an online poll which was open to anyone, not just UK citizens. Consequently the two homosexual owners of a U.S. ice cream maker encouraged their customers to vote (more than once) in favour changing the law in our country and our MP's called this a consultation.
The best environment for a child is with their natural mother and father. That is why it has been protected under law in the past. Every child has a right to know their father is and to have a mum and dad.
Yes there are exceptions and I know many single parents who do a sterling job, I just don't think that men and women are the same and traditional marriage offers the right balance due to the male and female natures.
I know some people will shout and swear at me and call me a bigot, but this has been my experience of the pro - same sex marriage brigade all the way through the 'consultation'. No reasoned debate, just childish name calling.
I don't know what they call the many homosexuals who are also opposed to same sex marriage.

Legalising pedophilia will be next!!!!
600,000 people signed a petition opposing same sex marriage. This was disregarded in favour of an online poll which was open to anyone, not just UK citizens. Consequently the two homosexual owners of a U.S. ice cream maker encouraged their customers to vote (more than once) in favour changing the law in our country and our MP's called this a consultation. The best environment for a child is with their natural mother and father. That is why it has been protected under law in the past. Every child has a right to know their father is and to have a mum and dad. Yes there are exceptions and I know many single parents who do a sterling job, I just don't think that men and women are the same and traditional marriage offers the right balance due to the male and female natures. I know some people will shout and swear at me and call me a bigot, but this has been my experience of the pro - same sex marriage brigade all the way through the 'consultation'. No reasoned debate, just childish name calling. I don't know what they call the many homosexuals who are also opposed to same sex marriage. Legalising pedophilia will be next!!!! Leftythelion

9:47pm Thu 7 Feb 13

xgaygreg says...

My name is Greg Haislip and I used to be gay, but over SEVEN years ago Jesus set me FREE! I am now free from the sin of homosexuality. Marriage is between 1 man and 1 woman according to the King James Bible (Genesis 2:24) so I am now married and my wife is pregnant by me. What's really cool is that now my life is not focused on "ME" I actually think about other's. More to the point, it's not about "ME" at all it's ALL about JESUS CHRIST! Jesus is Lord!!
My name is Greg Haislip and I used to be gay, but over SEVEN years ago Jesus set me FREE! I am now free from the sin of homosexuality. Marriage is between 1 man and 1 woman according to the King James Bible (Genesis 2:24) so I am now married and my wife is pregnant by me. What's really cool is that now my life is not focused on "ME" I actually think about other's. More to the point, it's not about "ME" at all it's ALL about JESUS CHRIST! Jesus is Lord!! xgaygreg

10:44pm Thu 7 Feb 13

berushka says...

Leftythelion wrote:
600,000 people signed a petition opposing same sex marriage. This was disregarded in favour of an online poll which was open to anyone, not just UK citizens. Consequently the two homosexual owners of a U.S. ice cream maker encouraged their customers to vote (more than once) in favour changing the law in our country and our MP's called this a consultation.
The best environment for a child is with their natural mother and father. That is why it has been protected under law in the past. Every child has a right to know their father is and to have a mum and dad.
Yes there are exceptions and I know many single parents who do a sterling job, I just don't think that men and women are the same and traditional marriage offers the right balance due to the male and female natures.
I know some people will shout and swear at me and call me a bigot, but this has been my experience of the pro - same sex marriage brigade all the way through the 'consultation'. No reasoned debate, just childish name calling.
I don't know what they call the many homosexuals who are also opposed to same sex marriage.

Legalising pedophilia will be next!!!!
WELL SAID!!!!!!
[quote][p][bold]Leftythelion[/bold] wrote: 600,000 people signed a petition opposing same sex marriage. This was disregarded in favour of an online poll which was open to anyone, not just UK citizens. Consequently the two homosexual owners of a U.S. ice cream maker encouraged their customers to vote (more than once) in favour changing the law in our country and our MP's called this a consultation. The best environment for a child is with their natural mother and father. That is why it has been protected under law in the past. Every child has a right to know their father is and to have a mum and dad. Yes there are exceptions and I know many single parents who do a sterling job, I just don't think that men and women are the same and traditional marriage offers the right balance due to the male and female natures. I know some people will shout and swear at me and call me a bigot, but this has been my experience of the pro - same sex marriage brigade all the way through the 'consultation'. No reasoned debate, just childish name calling. I don't know what they call the many homosexuals who are also opposed to same sex marriage. Legalising pedophilia will be next!!!![/p][/quote]WELL SAID!!!!!! berushka

3:13pm Fri 8 Feb 13

Beyond News Forum says...

I don't give a toss. You don't like people telling you how to live your lives. Leave those doing absolutely no harm to others alone to live their lives.
I don't give a toss. You don't like people telling you how to live your lives. Leave those doing absolutely no harm to others alone to live their lives. Beyond News Forum

Comments are closed on this article.

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