Labour claims credit for gay marriage bill

Some might say it was rather audacious of Yvette Cooper to send an email to Labour activists this evening urging them to tweet something along these lines:

I’m proud to be part of @uklabour today and proud that we’re one step closer to #equalmarriage in Britain.

— Sheila Gilmore (@SheilaGilmoreMP) May 21, 2013

I feel privileged to be a @uklabour MP today helping to bring #equalmarriage in Britain one step closer

— Chris Williamson (@ChriswMP) May 21, 2013

I’m proud to have played a small part in helping #equalmarriage come a little closer with @kategreensu

— Chris Bryant (@ChrisBryantMP) May 21, 2013

But then why not, if the man who has invested a great deal of personal capital in the legislation isn’t making any effort to claim credit? As James blogged last night, David Cameron went all quiet again as soon as the Same Sex Marriage Bill returned to the Commons. When MPs vote on the third reading of the bill – the final stage before it moves to the Lords – Labour will be claiming credit for ‘saving’ the legislation rather than the Tories getting credit for pushing for it. The Prime Minister is taking plenty of flak from his grassroots already for introducing this bill, but he doesn’t seem to be at all keen to reap the praise and credit from those who do support it. Strategists argue that he’s focusing on key issues for voters such as the economy, welfare and education. That as may be: the PM can’t go out and make the case for every piece of legislation. But he made the case for this from the start, and has now backed away.

The funny thing is that the CCHQ is dead keen on Tory MPs tweeting support for legislation, or their backing for a minister. It drives backbenchers who prefer to tweet without dictation to distraction, as they think it makes them look like robots. But why no Tory media strategy for tonight’s third reading vote?