Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 04 February 2014
04 Feb 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill
Tonight, I will be out of step with the majority of the Parliament, and I regret that. However, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak at what is undoubtedly an historic moment for Scotland. It is historic because the institution of marriage, which has been at the core of our culture for centuries, is on the cusp of being changed forever. Many people welcome that. They say, “Why not have equal marriage? Why deny gay people the right to marry?” They argue that the status quo is discriminatory. I understand that line of argument, which has certainly been embraced by the vast majority of my fellow parliamentarians, but it is not one that I can agree with.
It is my conviction, and the conviction of many thousands of Christians, Muslims, people of other faiths and people of no faith, that marriage is unique—a unique relationship between a man and a woman. In recent months, polls have been cited to indicate that Scotland supports the bill, but I am not convinced that that is the case. Some 54,000 people signed Scotland for Marriage’s petition against the bill and, of the 62,000 people in Scotland who expressed a view during the Government’s main consultation on whether same-sex marriage should be introduced, 64 per cent—almost 40,000 people—said that it should not. Many of my fellow citizens have spoken clearly, but I am not convinced that we are listening.
Whether or not one accepts that the majority of Scots oppose the bill, the balance of views in the Parliament, where there is near-overwhelming enthusiasm for same-sex marriage, is hugely disproportionate to that in the country at large. That is why the various amendments that John Mason, Siobhan McMahon and I lodged, which were discussed earlier this afternoon, were significant and deserved the support of all MSPs, including those who favour same-sex marriage. Those amendments sought to ensure that the many thousands of Scots who disagree with the bill would have their views respected and protected once the law is changed.
In reply to Mr Harvie’s comments on amendment 1, I can say that I was branded homophobic in various emails. I brought my children up to respect people for what they are. Basically, that is how my make-up has always been.
It is my conviction, and the conviction of many thousands of Christians, Muslims, people of other faiths and people of no faith, that marriage is unique—a unique relationship between a man and a woman. In recent months, polls have been cited to indicate that Scotland supports the bill, but I am not convinced that that is the case. Some 54,000 people signed Scotland for Marriage’s petition against the bill and, of the 62,000 people in Scotland who expressed a view during the Government’s main consultation on whether same-sex marriage should be introduced, 64 per cent—almost 40,000 people—said that it should not. Many of my fellow citizens have spoken clearly, but I am not convinced that we are listening.
Whether or not one accepts that the majority of Scots oppose the bill, the balance of views in the Parliament, where there is near-overwhelming enthusiasm for same-sex marriage, is hugely disproportionate to that in the country at large. That is why the various amendments that John Mason, Siobhan McMahon and I lodged, which were discussed earlier this afternoon, were significant and deserved the support of all MSPs, including those who favour same-sex marriage. Those amendments sought to ensure that the many thousands of Scots who disagree with the bill would have their views respected and protected once the law is changed.
In reply to Mr Harvie’s comments on amendment 1, I can say that I was branded homophobic in various emails. I brought my children up to respect people for what they are. Basically, that is how my make-up has always been.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
Before we start, I say to Parliament that, as a consequence of the earlier decision to extend the debate on amendments by 30 minutes, decision time will also...
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Alex Neil)
SNP
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
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Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
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Jackson Carlaw (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
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Jackson Carlaw
Con
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
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SNP
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Margaret McCulloch (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
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Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
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John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Ind)
Ind
Will the member accept that it should be the quality rather than the quantity that matters when it comes to amendments?
Alex Johnstone
Con
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
The next speeches will be of five minutes.16:51
James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
SNP
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Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Tonight, I will be out of step with the majority of the Parliament, and I regret that. However, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak at what is undoubt...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
Will the member give way?
Richard Lyle
SNP
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
You need to bring your remarks to a close.
Richard Lyle
SNP
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Drew Smith (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
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Linda Fabiani (East Kilbride) (SNP)
SNP
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
It will have to be brief, Ms Fabiani.
Linda Fabiani
SNP
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Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD)
LD
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John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
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Jim Hume
LD
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John Mason
SNP
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John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Ind)
Ind
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
You need to make it brief.
John Finnie
Ind
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