Fresh claims Tory gay marriage policy will cause damage

Prime Minister David Cameron has also been sent a letter, signed by 25 chairmen or former chairmen of Conservative Party associations, warning that the policy will cause “significant damage” at the ballot box.

MPs will vote on the proposals, which will also allow civil partners to convert their partnership to a marriage and enable married people to change their legal gender without having to end their union, for the first time when the bill has its second reading on Tuesday.

Opposition

Backbenchers have made no secret of their opposition to the move and were left even more angered when the Tory leadership made clear earlier this week it would not include marriage tax breaks in next month’s budget – something that would have been seen as a concession to disgruntled traditionalists.

Mr Cameron views the introduction of same-sex marriage as the “Conservative Party delivering the promise it made”.

Free vote

Mr Cameron is giving Conservative MPs a free vote on the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson and Welsh Secretary David Jones are expected to vote against the plans while Defence Secretary Philip Hammond will vote against or abstain and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith is poised to abstain, according to Sunday Telegraph.

It names whips Stephen Crabb, David Evennett, Robert Goodwill, Mark Lancaster, Nicky Morgan and John Randall as likely to oppose of abstain as well as junior ministers Mike Penning, John Hayes and Jeremy Wright.

Geoffrey Vero, chairman of the Conservative association in Surrey Heath where Education Secretary Michael Gove is MP, said more than 25 party members had quit locally over gay marriage.

Mr Vero, who is behind the letter to Mr Cameron raising concerns over the issue, told BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House: “I think a number of Conservative supporters and voters will sit on their hands on the issue and that may seriously affect David’s opportunity to get re-elected at 2015 and we think that is a dangerous risk to take with your core supporters.”

It comes as Education Secretary Michael Gove threw his support behind the proposed legalisation of same-sex marriage and promised teachers would not be disciplined for refusing to promote it.

Writing in today’s Mail on Sunday, Mr Gove explained his stance, saying it was wrong to say to gay men and women that their love is less legitimate.

He said: “It’s wrong to say that because of how you love and who you love, you are not entitled to the same rights as others. It’s wrong because inequality is wrong.

“Marriage is not undermined by extending it to gay people – it is reinforced by including everyone equally.”