MPs have just defeated Tim Loughton’s ‘wrecking amendment’ to the Same Sex Marriage Bill by 375 votes to 70, after approving the Government and Labour amendment (more on how that works here) which will introduce a consultation on heterosexual civil partnerships.
Those in favour of gay marriage will, if this Bill does make it out of Parliament and into law (and we still have all the stages in the Lords to go through) give David Cameron credit for continuing to push when many faces were set against him. But Labour has played a very impressive game today, appearing to save the legislation by making a tweak to an existing government amendment.
Meanwhile David Cameron is starting his damage limitation exercise with the Tory grassroots following this week’s allegations about Lord Feldman. The Telegraph splashes on his email to activists, in which he writes:
‘I am proud to lead this party.
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