Northern Ireland’s new First Minister insists gay marriage is ‘not on the agenda’
By Ben Kelly
Northern Ireland made history yesterday by appointing its first ever female First Minister, who is also the youngest leader in the province’s history – but it appears this won’t change much for the progression of social issues such as gay marriage.
Arlene Foster, the former Finance Minister, took over from her former boss Peter Robinson as DUP leader, after he retired from parliamentary life on health grounds. However, on her first day in the job she was keen to stress that despite this changing of the guard, the party will continue to uphold its “very strong Christian values.”
Speaking to the News Letter, Foster was asked about whether the DUP will consider giving its MLAs a free vote on social issues such a same-sex marriage and abortion.
“It’s not something that’s at the top of my ‘in tray’ if you like,” she said. “Obviously it’s not on the agenda in terms of a vote coming up any time soon. We will of course look at that when it does come up. But our position in relation to those issues has not changed by my coming in.”
She added: “Just because we believe in the traditional view of marriage doesn’t mean that we denigrate anyone who doesn’t agree with that – not in any one way, nor will we under my leadership be discriminating against anyone in terms of their sexuality or their way of life or whatever you may want to say”.
Speaking about the party’s identity in general, she explained, “The DUP is – and we make no apology for this – founded on very strong Christian values as you know. We as a party will continue to have those very strong Christian values and part of that is in and around the traditional view in terms of marriage.”
She also told the Guardian that she will continue to object the extension of the 1967 abortion act in Northern Ireland, saying “I would not want abortion to be as freely available here as it is in England.”
Foster has long been touted for greatness at Stormont, well known for being an astute parliamentarian, and a frequent representative for the DUP on Northern Ireland’s heated current affairs show Nolan Live, on which she has debated against gay marriage several times.
The DUP remains the largest party in Northern Ireland, but faces diminution at the hands of smaller Unionist parties who attack their co-governing with Republican party Sinn Fein, and will challenge Foster at the Assembly elections coming up on 5 May.
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