Ban on same sex church weddings ‘may not be legally watertight’ (UK)

Telegraph 5 Feb 2013
The Church of England may not be safe from court challenges forcing it to conduct gay marriage as there is “no unanimous” legal opinion on the issue, a research briefing for MPs says. Ahead of today’s crucial vote in Parliament, MPs have been advised that lawyers are conflicted over whether the Government’s ban on same-sex weddings in church is legally watertight. The Government insists that it has a multiple “lock” stopping same-sex weddings in Church but House of Commons research quotes legal arguments for and against a successful legal challenge. “The view of the legal profession is not unanimous,” the research says, as some lawyers believe the new laws will make it illegal to discriminate against same-sex couples. Other QCs argue that religious groups have special protection under human rights laws.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9849153/Gay-marriage-ban-on-same-sex-church-weddings-may-not-be-legally-watertight.html

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