The Conservative Party Conference: David Cameron, Iain Duncan Smith and some mixed messages on marriage

Readers of Impact Direct and followers of the news will be aware that this week has seen the culmination of the party conference season with the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.  Much has been made by the media of George Osborne’s speech and the general state of the economy, but it is comments from David Cameron in his address to the Conference on Wednesday which are cause for concern for CARE, CARE’s supporters and Christians across the UK.

In his speech to the Conference on Monday, Iain Duncan Smith spoke passionately, amongst other issues, of ‘one of the most important issues for our country…the role of the family’, before going on to reaffirm the government’s commitment in the Coalition Agreement to provide greater support for married couples, reminding us that ‘the Prime Minister has made it clear that in this Parliament the Government will recognise marriage in the tax system’.  Read CARE’s Press Release on this and the need for the Government to take action now here.

Then, in the Prime Minister’s speech to the conference on Wednesday, David Cameron also spoke of his commitment to recognising marriage in the tax system, stating that it is the Government’s intention to do so but going no further in terms of outlining practicalities or timescale:

“But for me, leadership on families also means speaking out on marriage. Marriage is not just a piece of paper. It pulls couples together through the ebb and flow of life. It gives children stability. And it says powerful things about what we should value. So yes, we will recognise marriage in the tax system…”

However, immediately afterwards, and picking up on the announcement made at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference, one of the most concerning aspects of David Cameron’s speech was his express support for the introduction of gay marriage in England and Wales:

“But we’re also doing something else. I once stood before a Conservative conference and said it shouldn’t matter whether commitment was between a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, or a man and another man. You applauded me for that. Five years on, we’re consulting on legalising gay marriage.

And to anyone who has reservations, I say: Yes, it’s about equality, but it’s also about something else: commitment. Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us; that society is stronger when we make vows to each other and support each other. So I don’t support gay marriage despite being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I’m a Conservative.”

CARE is deeply concerned about this issue and is particularly disappointed that this announcement of the government’s plans to redefine marriage comes at a time when existing promises with respect to the recognition of marriage in the tax system remain as yet unfulfilled.

As CARE and others have noted, marriage is a different type of relationship.  It is a life-long covenantal relationship between a man and a woman.  It needs no other definition and it is not Government’s place to attempt to redefine marriage – certainly not to ill-define it.

In response to the Prime Minister’s speech, Gerald Howarth MP, a defence minister and the MP for Aldershot, expressed his concern that attempting to redefine marriage in this way would be a ‘step too far’, a view echoed by other backbench Conservative MPs.

Prayer: Please pray that the government would prioritise honouring their commitment to recognising marriage in the tax system and that they would reconsider their proposals to refine marriage.