Rabbitte faces revolt on same-sex marriage

Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte faces threats of resignation from members of the party's Equality Group if the parliamentary party fails to give the green light to same-sex marriage.

There is growing unease at the party's slide to 10 per cent in recent opinion polls, as well as contributions from Rabbitte at the Labour Youth conference on the issue of same-sex marriage, rendition flights at Shannon Airport and the party's taxation policy.

According to party sources Rabbitte told the conference that he personally supported full equality on same-sex marriage, but he believed neither the public nor members of Labour's parliamentary party were likely to support a referendum on the issue at this time.

Labour Equality Group chairman Ritchie Keane has given notice to the Labour leader that its officials would resign if the party did not support the extension of civil marriage to all couples as part of is published policy due shortly.

"Why would we have a separate code for straight couples and for gay couples? Equality should be applied across the board," Keane said. There is strong speculation that the parliamentary party will support progressive legislative change providing for civil unions for same sex couples as a first step on the road to full equality.

Senior Labour sources said the party had a long established reputation of delivering on the liberal agenda. A civil union code would provide the same legal entitlements "as far as one could possibly go without changing the constitution" with immediate and practical effect for same sex couples.

Labour's election partner Fine Gael has adopted a policy that supports civil partnerships which allows cohabiting couples - either the same sex or of opposite sex - to formally register their relationship with the state. Britain and Northern Ireland have a civil partnership code.


By Niamh Connolly

Sunday Business Post
19 November 2006

http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p...AND-qqqm=news-qqqid=19008-qqqx=1.asp