Opposite-sex couples handed right to live in civil partnership

CIVIL partnerships will be made available to heterosexual couples, Theresa May announced yesterday, as campaigners warned the law change could undermine marriage.

Same-sex couples can currently choose to marry or register for a civil partnership, but opposite-sex couples have only the option of marriage.

The Prime Minister said the change would provide couples who do not want to get married with greater security because their relationship will be formally recognised in law.

She said: “This change helps protect the interests of opposite-sex couples who want to commit, want to formalise their relationship but don’t necessarily want to get married.

“As home secretary, I was proud to sponsor the legislation that created equal marriage. Now, by extending civil partnerships, we are making sure that all couples, be they same-sex or opposite-sex, are given the same choices in life.”

There are more than three million unmarried couples in the UK, living together with shared financial responsibilities, while almost half have children.

But the current legal landscape means these households do not have the same legal protections as those who are married or have a civil partnership.

The announcement, made at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, follows a Supreme Court ruling that legislation on civil partnerships was in breach of human rights.

Peter Tatchell, the human rights advocate, called the change “wonderful news”, saying: “The decision was a necessary response to the judgment of the highest court in the land.”

But James Mildred, of Christian Action Research and Education, said: “The Government should be developing pro-marriage, family friendly policies. There’s a real danger this will further undermine marriage.”