Civil partnership couple will not give up the fight

A heterosexual couple who have lost their latest battle for the right to enter into a civil partnership say there is “everything to fight for”.

Rebecca Steinfeld, 35, and Charles Keidan, 40, want to secure legal recognition of their seven-year relationship through that route, but are prevented because the Civil Partnership Act 2004 says only same-sex couples are eligible.

The academics, who live in London, and have a 20-month-old daughter, claim the Government’s position is “incompatible with equality law” .

Yesterday, the Court of Appeal agreed they had established a potential violation of Article 14 of the European Convention, which relates to discrimination, taken with Article 8, which refers to respect for private and family life.

But, by a majority, the judges said it was at present justified by the Government’s policy of “wait and evaluate”.

They heard the couple have deep-rooted and genuine ideological objections to marriage and wish to enter into a legally-regulated relationship which does not carry “patriarchal baggage”.

Ms Steinfeld said: “We are pleased that today’s ruling has shown that the Government must act very soon to end this unfair situation.

“All three judges agreed that we’re being treated differently because of our sexual orientation, and that this impacts our private and family life.

“All three rejected the argument that we could ‘just get married’.”