DUP will seek legal protections for churches after marriage equality arrives in Northern Ireland
The political party also is planning to stop the abortion reform
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
The DUP has announced it will be seeking legal protections for churches after marriage equality arrived in Northern Ireland on Monday (October 21).
As the rest of the UK celebrates the arrival of same-sex marriages in Northern Ireland – six years after it arrived in England and Wales – the homophobic political party is looking to smother the joy out of the entire country.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, the party remains opposed to the ‘redefinition of marriage’ and ‘extreme liberalisation of abortion legislation’ – and they are planning to bring forward a Private Members’ Bill to stop abortion reform.
A spokesperson told the publication: “If other MLAs had joined our call back in August 2017 and since to form an Assembly and have a talks process in parallel, then these issues, along with the needs of our hospitals and our schools, could have been addressed in the Assembly.”
Secretary of State Julian Smith said the first same-sex marriages were expected to take place by Valentine’s Day next year.
Legislation passed by Westminster in Stormont’s absence meant that marriage between gay couples became legal from midnight on Monday.