David Cameron’s plans to redefine marriage could dog him for years – just like the hunting ban did to Tony Blair, the BBC’s Andrew Marr says.
Tony Blair came to regret his controversial decision to ban fox hunting, a decision which proved to be far more controversial than he had imagined.
Andrew Marr, on his Sunday morning TV show, said redefining marriage may prove to be equally contentious for David Cameron.
Divisive
Mr Marr said: “I’m beginning to wonder if this could turn out to be David Cameron’s version of the hunting ban, which you may remember dogged Tony Blair to everyone’s surprise, for so long.”
Mr Marr made the comparison as he referred to a strongly worded article against the redefinition of marriage written by Cardinal Keith O’Brien and published in The Sunday Telegraph.
And an editorial in today’s Daily Telegraph also warns the Government that the issue looks set to be deeply divisive.
Not redefined
The Sun newspaper pointed to a petition from a group which is against redefining marriage – the Coalition for Marriage – that has attracted 100,000 signatures in just two weeks. The petition can be signed here.
Last week the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said that marriage should not be redefined in law.
And former MP Ann Widdecombe has said that the people should be asked for their view on redefining marriage before the Prime Minister ploughs ahead with “the most fundamental change to society in centuries”.
Waste
Last month homosexual celebrity Christopher Biggins said he does not want to redefine marriage because “we can’t just get rid of everything.”
Mr Biggins was speaking on ITV’s daytime show, Loose Women, where he commented: “I’m very anti-marriages, because I think that is for heterosexual couples.”
And lesbian feminist Julie Bindel has also spoken out against the plans saying the campaign for same-sex marriage is “a waste of time and effort”.