Civil partnerships should have been called marriage, says top divorce lawyer – Daily Telegraph

“The debate over same-sex unions could have been avoided if civil partnerships had been described as marriage by the Government, a top divorce lawyer has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th June 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Opposing gay marriage not homophobic, says advertising watchdog – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 14th, 2012 in advertising, complaints, homosexuality, marriage, news by sally

“Opposing gay marriage is not offensive or homophobic, the advertising watchdog has ruled.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th June 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gay marriage gets ministerial approval – The Guardian

Posted June 13th, 2012 in Church of England, consultations, homosexuality, marriage, news by sally

“Ministers have pledged to push through legislation to give same-sex couples equal rights to get married despite mounting opposition from within the Conservative party and the threat of a split with the Church of England.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Will the European Court force churches to perform gay marriages? – UK Human Rights Blog

“The Government’s Consultation on Equal Civil Marriage ends on Thursday 14 June: you can fill in the brief online survey here if you haven’t already. In the meantime, the Church of England is on the front pages this morning with its own response, which amongst other things, warns that ‘it seems extremely doubtful’ that the European Court of Human Rights ‘would uphold the right of a state to retain gender inequality in civil partnerships once the state had legislated for equal marriage’.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 12th June 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Trimingham case is an example of value judgments obscuring legal ones – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2012 in evidence, freedom of expression, harassment, homosexuality, media, news, privacy by tracey

“While the judge’s reasons for finding against Trimingham are clear, the conclusions to be drawn for future harassment cases against the media are not.”

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The Guardian, 28th May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gay marriage: you say potato and I say potahto – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted May 22nd, 2012 in homosexuality, marriage, news by sally

“There’s been quite a commotion about gay marriage in the last few weeks following the Government’s apparent plans to shelve or delay its introduction with MP Gerald Howarth, amongst others, saying that the Tories’ stance on gay marriage was partly to blame for their performance at the local elections. A slightly narrow focus one might think when the Labour party, for whom more people voted in the local elections, supports gay marriage and when it is perhaps the economy that is at the forefront of many voters minds.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 22nd May 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

TfL bans Christian groups’ ‘gay cure’ advert from London buses – The Independent

Posted April 13th, 2012 in advertising, Christianity, freedom of expression, homosexuality, news by tracey

” An attempt by evangelical Christians to promote ‘gay cure’ therapies on the sides of London buses was banned last night, sparking an angry row over free speech.”

Full text

The Independent, 13th April 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Landmark move towards same-sex marriage a step closer – Home Office

Posted March 16th, 2012 in consultations, homosexuality, marriage by tracey

“Same-sex couples have moved a step closer to the right to marry in a civil ceremony. The Home Office today launched a consultation on how to allow everyone to have a civil marriage.”

Full consultation paper

Home Office, 15th March 2012

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Gay marriage: government to begin public consultation – The Guardian

Posted March 15th, 2012 in consultations, homosexuality, marriage, news by sally

“The government is to press ahead with its plans to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry despite criticism from leading figures in the Church of England and the Roman Catholic church.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gay father wins right to be involved in son’s life – The Guardian

“The gay father of a two-year-old boy living with his lesbian mother and her partner has won the right to be involved in his life in a landmark ruling that could have significant implications for ‘alternative families’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Strasbourg rules on anti-gay speech for the first time – UK Human Rights Blog

“‘Will both teacher and pupils simply become the next victims of the tyranny of tolerance, heretics, whose dissent from state-imposed orthodoxy must be crushed at all costs?’, asked Cardinal O’Brien in his controversial Telegraph article on gay-marriage. He was suggesting that changing the law to allow gay marriage would affect education as it would preclude a teacher from telling pupils that marriage can only mean a heterosexual union. He later insinuated that the change might lead to students being given material such as an ‘explicit manual of homosexual advocacy entitled The Little Black Book: Queer in the 21st Century.'”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 13th March 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Gay actor and City high-flier fight over separation payout – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 9th, 2012 in civil partnerships, divorce, homosexuality, news by tracey

“Lawyers for Peter Lawrence told the Court of Appeal that his former civil partner, Donald Gallagher, an actor, was not entitled to a £1.7 million payout because they had ‘dual careers’. The case is one of the first times that a court has adjudicated in a civil partnership separation involving two parties who had very different levels of wealth.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

No 10 sides with gay couples over full marriage – The Independent

“Gay couples will finally win the right to marry, Downing Street insisted last night, despite an escalating campaign of opposition led by a former Archbishop of Canterbury and some Conservative MPs.”

Full story

The Independent, 21st February 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Analysis | Court of Appeal upholds hotel gay discrimination ruling – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 20th, 2012 in homosexuality, hotels, news, sexual orientation discrimination by sally

“On 10th February 2012, the Court of Appeal upheld a Judge’s ruling that a Christian couple, Peter and Hazelmary Bull, had discriminated against Martin Hall and Steven Preddy on grounds of sexual orientation when they refused them a double-bedded room at their hotel near Penzance.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 19th February 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Is it legal to teach gay hate in schools? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 20th, 2012 in education, equality, homosexuality, news, sexual orientation discrimination by sally

“Following the news recently it would seem that the UK is convulsed by a raging battle between religious observers and, in the words of Baroness Warsi, militant secularists. On the same day, the High Court ruled that Christian prayers held before a council meeting were unlawful, and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the High Court that two Christian hotel owners had discriminated against gay clients by not offering them a double room.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 19th February 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Speak no evil: the limits of freedom of speech – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted February 13th, 2012 in freedom of expression, homosexuality, news, threatening behaviour by sally

“The limits of free speech and freedom of religion are presently on trial once again with the reported prosecution of a Christian street preacher, Michael Overd, in the Magistrates’ Court. The case arises out of threatening remarks Mr Overd allegedly made in public to a homosexual couple.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th February 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Michael Overd cleared of verbally abusing gay men in Taunton – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2012 in homosexuality, news, threatening behaviour by sally

“A Christian preacher accused of verbally abusing two gay men during a sermon has been cleared in court.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Christian hoteliers appeal against ruling on gay couple sharing a room – The Guardian

Posted November 9th, 2011 in appeals, homosexuality, hotels, news, sexual orientation discrimination by tracey

“Devout Christian hotel owners who refused to allow a gay couple to share a double room have insisted at the appeal court that they should have been allowed to impose the ban.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

First football club signs sports charter – Home Office

Posted October 28th, 2011 in homosexuality, press releases, sexual orientation discrimination, sport by tracey

“Last night, Wycombe Wanderers became the first football club to sign the Charter against homophobia and transphobia in sport.”

Full press release

Home Office, 26th October 2011

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Gay marriage on the way… but not quite yet – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 10th, 2011 in homosexuality, marriage, news by sally

“In his Conservative Party Conference speech the Prime Minister David Cameron signalled his strong support for the legalisation of gay marriage.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 10th October 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com