A Tory Councillor says redefining marriage is not conservative and not in step with the Party’s core values.
Cllr Mary Douglas told BBC Breakfast: “The majority of Tory MPs are against this and that is where the Conservative grassroots is coming from, actually David Cameron is out of step with his own Party.”
She added, “the Conservative party is conservative and this policy is way out of step with our core values.”
Undemocratic
Cllr Douglas also criticised the lack of full debate on gay marriage in parliament, and the undemocratic nature of the Bill.
She said: “Sadly the Bill has not been properly debated, it is not in anybody’s manifesto, there’s been no green paper no white paper.”
She added, “there has been no democratic mandate and the debate has been disgracefully curtailed”.
Relationship
“MPs were allowed to talk for four minutes on a matter that affects all of us in our most intimate relationship.”
At the weekend, 34 current and former local constituency chairmen delivered a letter to Downing Street opposing redefining marriage policy.
They said the policy is, “flawed, un-Conservative, divisive and costing us dearly in votes and membership”.
Support
In 2011, David Cameron came under fire for saying he supports gay marriage because of, not in spite of, being a Conservative.
Dr Dave Landrum of the Evangelical Alliance said it signaled the end of conservatism: “If you can’t conserve the institution of marriage, what can you conserve?”
In February, more Tory MPs voted against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill than for it at second reading in the House of Commons.
The Bill is back before MPs tonight for its third reading.