Campaigners take fight against ban on gay marriage to European court

Eight British couples will take their case to overturn the bans on same-sex marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships to the European Court of Human Rights next week.

Fidelity not necessarily 'important' in marriage, suggests peer
Fidelity not necessarily 'important' in marriage, suggests peer Credit: Photo: ALAMY

Over the last two months four homosexual couples have all been refused marriage licenses at register offices across England, while four heterosexual couples were turned away when they applied for civil partnership status.

Peter Tatchell, the equality activist coordinating the “Equal Love” campaign, of which the couples are part, said bans on same-sex civil marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships were “a form of sexual apartheid”.

“Outlawing black marriages would provoke uproar,” he said. “The prohibition on gay marriages should provoke similar outrage.”

Launching their case on Tuesday, the campaigners will argue that the current ban on gay marriages is a breach of the Human Rights Act, specifically the right to respect for private and family life, the right to marry, and the prohibition of discrimination.