The Scottish Government is today expected to publish the results of their public consultation and make an announcement on whether they intend to legalise same-sex marriage in Scotland.
The proposal would see Scotland become the first part of the UK to introduce gay marriage. The Scottish government said at the beginning of the consultation, which closed in December with 80,000 responses, that it “tends towards the view” that same-sex marriage should become legal and that religious bodies should not be forced to hold wedding ceremonies against their beliefs.
The leaders of Scotland’s main political parties and from a majority of members of the Scottish parliament have gone so far as to sign a pledge supporting same-sex marriage, as the Catholic church have urged politicians to hold a referendum on the issue. The most vocal opposition has come from the most senior member of the Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O’Brien.
Cardinal O’ Brien, of the Catholic Church in Scotland, said last night that a referendum should be held because of the “intense public interest” in the issue.
However, the Equality Network charity said the cardinal’s call should be rejected as such a move would “go against the core principles of Scotland’s representative democracy” and be “un-Scottish, unfair and a colossal waste of taxpayers’ money.”
The Cabinet will meet early this afternoon with a press briefing expected to take place a few hours later.
