Same-sex marriage bill passes first stage

A bill calling for same-sex marriage to be legalised in Northern Ireland has passed its first hurdle in the House of Commons.

The private member's bill was raised on Wednesday 28 March by Armagh-born Labour MP Conor McGinn, who later joined campaigners in delivering a petition to 10 Downing Street.

The letter had 42,000 signatories and was presented by Cara McCann and Amanda McGork - a same-sex couple from Northern Ireland planning to marry on Valentine's Day next year.

They hope it will be a marriage, rather than a civil partnership.

Mr McGinn - in an impassioned speech in the House of Commons - said, "The Northern Ireland Assembly being in cold storage, shouldn't mean that Northern Ireland remains a cold house for LGBT people and their rights.

"The defacto suspension of the devolved legislature does not mean that equality for same sex couples can be suspended indefinitely - because rights delayed are rights denied."

In 2013, Westminster MPs passed the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act, which came into force in England and Wales in March 2014.In Scotland, the move came later in the year, with the first same-sex weddings taking place on December 31.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom which does not have legislation for same-sex marriage, but there is widespread public support for the move.

In 2016, an Ipsos Mori poll revealed 70% of adults in Northern Ireland believe gay couples should be allowed to marry.

The St Helens North MP's bill was approved and will have its second reading on May 11.