Hansard

I start by responding to the point that Alex Johnstone just made. I would have thought that, if anything, the bill would strengthen marriage because it makes marriage much more acceptable for every sector of society. I also think that Alex Johnstone’s argument about the weakening of marriage being at the root of all evil over the past decades is a bit simplistic. However, the bill can only help to strengthen marriage and make it more acceptable to everybody across society.

I would like to thank Jackson Carlaw for his kind words, but he clearly does not want to hear my words as he is not present. He gave a very eloquent speech, but it left me feeling a wee bit empty because when he started to talk about “South Pacific” I was fairly confident that he was going to sing but, unfortunately, he did not.

When I got elected to Parliament in 2011, I realised very quickly that we were going to be part of something special and that Scottish National Party members were going to be part of at least one memorable day and event, which would be the referendum. What I had not quite realised was that there would be other opportunities to do something really historic. Today is one of those rare days when I can say as a politician that, no matter what happens, even if today is my last day as a politician—and given that the vote goes the way that I hope it will tonight; I do not know what time it will take place now, Presiding Officer, but it will be some time after six—my colleagues and I will have made a difference to improve the lives and rights of many people across Scotland. We should all be proud of that.

Like others, I recognise that there has been a change in society. I recognise what it was like a long time ago and when I was growing up. That we have come to where we are in such a comparatively short period of time in historical terms—although I have been here a fair length of time, to be fair—is something that we should be immensely proud of. As I said in a previous speech, I have no concerns about safeguards with regard to the bill. All the safeguards are in place and I am confident that celebrants and religious bodies will find that to be the case.

In my speech last November on same-sex marriage, I talked about my brother Michael and how he had just contacted me to tell me that he was going to get married. As things often happen, he phoned me very quickly after that and said “I’m not just getting married, James. I’m getting married next Wednesday.” So, I had to contact Joe FitzPatrick, who I have to give huge thanks to because he was incredibly helpful, along with the whip’s team—Bill Kidd, Fiona McLeod and Graeme Dey, who covered for me when I was away—and I managed to get away to see Michael getting married. It was a lovely ceremony that was very small and family oriented.

There were two things about it. One is that I was the only member of our family who was there. That is understandable as it was very short notice; I also have a very understanding boss and I could afford to go. Other members of my family could not afford to go in that time period, and my mother is 79 years of age and she could not travel to Lisbon, so there was a hole. It would have been perfect if members of the family had been able to go. I have no doubt that if we had had the legislation in Scotland, the wedding would have been here, because Raoul has a smaller family than ours and they are more mobile than us, so they would have come over here and we would have had that opportunity. That was a shame.

The other thing is that it did not rain. I looked back to that UK Independence Party comment and I thought, “No—that just can’t be true.” There was no thunder and lightning. It was a lovely sunny day. The sun was even shining through the windows. It was just a perfect, lovely day, so that was really strange.

In my previous speech, I said that my opinion was that they were getting married because they had got to an age at which they thought that it was right to ensure that their affairs were settled, and I knew that it was a strong relationship. But when I was over there, what really got to me was that I realised just how much the day meant to them. That kind of surprised me. It was the right thing for them to do to ensure that, as they get into their 60s, everything is settled, but it is a marriage based on love, and it was an absolutely lovely thing to see. I was honoured and delighted to be there. I just wish that it could have been here.

I finish with two quotes. One is from more than 2,000 years ago and the other is from more than 150 years ago. The first is:

“The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law.”

If we take it that “men” means the species as opposed to the gender, that is a good quote. I said that because Nicola Sturgeon was giving me a funny look. [Laughter.] The other quote is from Robert Ingersoll, who was a civil war veteran, a political leader and a radical orator. He said:

“The true civilisation is where every man gives to every other man every right he claims for himself.”

I suggest that that includes the right to be married. On that note, I am delighted and proud to support the motion.

16:57