MPs back gay marriage but Cameron defied
THE HOUSE of Commons backed gay marriage overwhelmingly last night, although more Tory MPs voted against David Cameron than with him.
136 Conservative MPs opposed the bill, which will allow same sex marriage for the first time in Britain, while 127 backed it and 40 abstained. 12 Tory ministers, including Owen Paterson, the environment secretary, and David Jones, the Welsh secretary, opposed the bill.
Despite less than half of Conservative MPs voting in favour of the bill, widespread support from Labour and the Liberal Democrats pushed it through. 400 voted in favour, with 175 against.
217 Labour MPs backed gay marriage with 22 opposed, while 44 Lib Dems voted for the bill against four who voted against it.
London MPs to vote against the bill included Tories Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington) and David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford), Lib Dem Sarah Teather (Brent Central) and Labour’s Stephen Pound (Ealing North).
Cameron said the vote was “an important step forward for out country”. The bill will now be scrutinised in the House of Lords.