A Tory chairman in David Cameron’s constituency has resigned because of the Prime Minister’s support for redefining marriage.
Cicely Maunder said she had “no idea” why Mr Cameron supports the change, and said other local members also walked out over the plans.
Mrs Maunder was the chairman of local Tories in Chipping Norton, which is in David Cameron’s Witney constituency.
Support
Explaining her decision to the Sunday People newspaper, she said: “I left after 34 years because of David Cameron’s support for gay marriage.
“I have no choice but to feel strongly about it as a Christian believer.
“Other members walked out too. I’ve had a lot of support.
Sad
“This wasn’t in the manifesto or the Queen’s Speech. It literally popped up from nowhere. I’ve no idea why he decided to back it.
“I renewed my party subscription a week before I resigned and received my membership card but I’ve now binned it.
“I’m a lifelong Conservative like my family before me. I’ve served the party half my life. I’ll be a non-voter now. It’s very sad.
Definition
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to Mr Cameron about it but maybe I’ll see him shopping.”
She added: “The Oxford Dictionary defines marriage as the joining together of a man and a woman. It’s the same in the Bible.
“I’m not anti-gay people at all. I fully agree with civil partnership rights. But most gay people will tell you that’s all they wanted and they don’t want gay marriage.”
Discord
In January Tory constituency chairman Edmund Costelloe left the Party over gay marriage – calling it an “ill-thought-out” idea.
And ahead of the recent vote in the Commons, a group of senior local Tories wrote to the Prime Minister warning about the “growing discord” within the Party over the issue.