Civil partnerships to be made available to straight couples

The Government is to change the law to allow opposite-sex couples to to enter into civil partnerships, the Prime Minister has announced.

The Government said extending them to opposite-sex couples in England and Wales would provide greater security for those who wanted legal recognition for their relationship but did not want to get married.

Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan took their case to the Supreme Court Credit: PA

In June a heterosexual couple fighting for the right to have a civil partnershipwon a ruling at the UK’s highest court that they were being discriminated against.

Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan took their case to the Supreme Court, which found current legislation was “incompatible” with human rights laws.

They were prevented from having a legal union through the route of civil partnership because the Civil Partnership Act 2004 says only same-sex couples are eligible.