Prominent human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has congratulated the island for bringing forward ‘far-sighted’ same sex marriage legislation.
MHKs voted overwhelmingly to give the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Amendment) Act its third reading in the House of Keys this week. Only three voted against - Treasury Minister Eddie Teare (Ayre), Zac Hall (Onchan) and Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East).
Mr Tatchell visited the island last year at the invitation of Freethinkers to give a talk on equal rights, entitled ‘A goal worth fighting for’,
At that time he expressed concern at delays in implementing the long-awaited Equality Bill - and that no date has then been given for the introduction of same sex marriage.
Eight months on, same sex marriage legislation has passed all its stages in the House of Keys and the Equality Bill was given its first reading in the Legislative Council this week.
Mr Tatchell said that the Manx law on same sex marriages and civil partnerships would be ‘head and shoulders’ above that in the UK.
He said: ‘I congratulate the Isle of Man for bringing forward a Bill that does not follow the discriminatory example of England and Wales, where we have segregation in marriage law. The Marriage Act 1949 is for opposite-sex couples only and the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act 2013 is for same-sex couples only. Separate is not equal.
‘Unlike the UK, the Isle of Man is proposing real marriage equality, with a single marriage law for everyone. It is also ending the ban on opposite-sex civil partnerships, which remains in force in England and Wales. This means that, when passed, Manx law will be head and shoulders above the UK, with equal civil marriages and equal civil partnerships for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.
‘I commend the Chief Minister and his parliamentary colleagues for upholding the principle that in a democracy everyone should be equal before the law. I hope the UK government will soon follow the Isle of Man’s positive leadership on equality for everyone.
‘I was honoured to meet Allan Bell at Tynwald last July. He listened to my support for civil marriage and civil partnership equality, and to the views of Manx gay and human rights campaigners. The people of the Isle of Man are very lucky to have a Chief Minister who is committed to genuine equality and who responds to public representations. I am so proud of the Manx people and government for this far-sighted Bill.’
Mr Tatchell said with a unanimous vote the Isle of Man could have made history. ‘No other parliament in the world has voted unanimously for equal civil marriages and civil partnerships,’ he said.