Tony Blair calls civil unions a "landmark"

[swimmernsecretsea]

Ben Townley, Gay.com U.K.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005 / 10:36 AM

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has voiced his support for civil partnerships, saying the new laws will be "correcting an obvious injustice" for gay men and lesbians.
In an article written for The Independent newspaper, Blair said the legal recognition of same-sex relationships is a "landmark measure" and an example of legislation "keeping pace" with social change.
"By correcting an obvious injustice, removing fear and providing security, (civil partnerships) will change the lives of tens of thousands of people for the better," Blair wrote.
"It is also, importantly, another step towards the fairer, more tolerant country which this Labour Government pledged to build -- and an answer, too, to those who convince themselves that politics changes nothing."
Blair also praised the broad support for the laws, dismissing any political criticism of the proposals when they were passing through Parliament as "downright spiteful."
"In general, past hostility and suspicions have been replaced with tolerance and understanding. Our laws and political culture, however, had simply not kept pace with these changes," he added, although he did warn that more needs to be done to tackle injustices.
"There is, of course, no room for complacency. There is still too much injustice, discrimination and unfairness. But in ceremonies up and down the country this week, we can also see that, as a society and country, we continue to move in the right direction."
Blair's comments were echoed by Meg Munn, the deputy equality minister, who helped steer the implementation of the new laws after her predecessor, Jacqui Smith, changed roles in a post-election reshuffle.
"For too long, same-sex couples who have chosen to share their lives have found that they have no protection in law and no recognition for their commitment," Munn said Wednesday. "I am delighted that we're ending that injustice."
Gay rights groups have welcomed the new laws, which are now in force across the whole of the United Kingdom.
Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, called Wednesday, the first day civil-union ceremonies could be held in England, a "momentous occasion."
"The warm welcome that so many people have shown to civil partnership demonstrates that the wider public is considerably more progressive than those politicians who expressed so much anxiety over this," he said.
More than 600 couples were expected to celebrate their relationships Wednesday in civil partnerships across the U.K.

Source link here: http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?2005/12/21/2

[stepnw1f]

1. You Know What Will Be a Landmark

the prison cell bLiar makes his bed at night.

[Chevy]

2. Piss off

Sir Tony Blair ya wanker:freak: