Britain's Liberal Democrats Endorse Marriage Equality

Delegates to the Liberal Democrats' annual convention voted yesterday to endorse full marriage equality for Britain's citizens, as well as other LGBT rights.

The motion called to open up marriage and civil partnerships to straight and gay couples, allow religious celebrants to hold same-sex marriages and civil partnerships if they wish to do so, and to allow trans men and women the right to stay married or civilly partnered when they legally change their gender. Speaking after the motion passed, Liberal Democrat MP Steve Gilbert said: “This policy underlines, once again, that equality is in the DNA of our party. Today, Liberal Democrat members showed that the party remains in the vanguard of the progressive movement and won’t settle until everyone enjoys equal status. “Current legislation degrades same-sex couples to a second-tier partnership and leads to unnecessary pain and trouble for anyone wishing to change their legally recognised gender, forcing them to divorce or dissolve their civil partnership and enter into a different commitment. "It is time that Britain ends the current unfair legal situation and regains its position as a country leading the fight for full LGBT equality.”

The Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government with the Conservative Party earlier this year when the general election resulted in a hung Parliament. Yesterday's vote means the party will now likely begin lobbying for full marriage equality in Britain.