Gay Marriage Bill Approved in Rhode Island House Vote (now on to the State Senate)
And across the sea, Thousands Rally in Paris For Same-Sex Marriage (as the legislature prepares to consider a bill supported by the new government).
and
British House of Commons Approves Gay Marriage (not wit)hout a lot of dissent from the governing party
update: and it's not over til it's over:
The UK picture is a little misleading. Mass demonstrations are restricted in Parliament Square, the area outside the Houses of Parliament, by the "Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011". (This was a relaxation of the restrictions introduced by Tony Blair's administration under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.) The traditional site for mass demonstrations is Trafalgar Square, which is about a mile away.
ReplyDeleteIt might also be significant that the debate began just before 1pm and the main vote was taken at 7pm. Any sensible protestor would have been in the pub by then, particularly on a cold, rainy night.
Probably most significant is that the vote was only the second reading of the bill. The bill now has to be considered in detail by a Parliamentary Committee, then receive a third reading (another vote) after which it passes to the House of Lords (our un-elected second chamber) for their vote. The bill only becomes law after the Lords approve it and it receives the Royal Assent.
Also the current UK government is a coalition of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties. The Conservatives are only one of the governing parties.
Tony