A gay representative has claimed that the local lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community has no faith in their MPs.
Kevin Turner said: “When MPs are doing their canvassing, they will always promote themselves to become the voice of their local community, but that’s only a very select thing.”
“They only voice what’s going to get them votes and what’s going to get them public support, and for that reason local LGBT people don’t have a lot of faith in local politics and local economies.”
“It wouldn’t surprise me if our MP voted against it,” he said.
Mr Turner, who is a sexual health advisor at Over The Rainbow, a group that provides advice and information for LGBT people in the community, was responding to the news that many of Dorset’s own conservative MPs may vote against the Same Sex Marriage bill which will be voted on in The Commons later today.
While not a fan of marriage himself, Mr Turner said: “For me it will be interesting for the outcome of the vote, I think it would be nice for LGBT people who want to have a legally recognised marriage.”
Mr Turner also rejected many objections based on christian values: “Atheists get married in churches every day and the church allows them to get married. I think Christian teachings had their place in a day but I think in modern society it’s very much open to wider interpretation since we live in such a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society,” he said.
The Breaker will be covering all of today’s events surrounding the vote for gay marriage in the commons.
To follow events as they happen keep up to date with our Storify page below.
http://storify.com/jamiestyles/gay-marriage-vote
The Breaker brings you history of LGBT rights in the UK:
Main image: sigmaration, Flickr
