Statistics in Support of Marriage and Family

http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/downloads/BBExecFamily.pdf
European data shows that by a child’s fifth birthday less than 1 in 12 (8%) of married parents have split up compared to almost 1 in 2 (43%) cohabiting parents

http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/downloads/BBExecFamily.pdf
Crime is strongly correlated with family breakdown – 70% of young offenders are from lone parent families

http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/downloads/Polling,%20Family%20Manifesto,%20Sept%2030th.pdf
A YouGov poll for the Centre For Social Justice shows that 80% of those polled said that they regarded family breakdown as a ‘serious’ societal problem, with two thirds supporting a tax allowance for married couples – this demonstrates continued public support for the institution of marriage

http://labs.yougov.co.uk/news/2011/04/21/marriage-important-say-brits/
Another YouGov poll found that 78% of those polled believed marriage should have an ‘important’ role in British society

http://www.icmresearch.com/pdfs/2007_july_suntelegraph_marriage_poll.pdf
A 2007 ICM poll for the Daily Telegraph found that 80% of those polled said the institution of marriage was important to them personally. 70% thought it was better for children to have married rather than unmarried parents.

http://www.care.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Poll-Summary-3-stats.pdf
Read about an opinion poll showing the majority of the Scottish population doesn’t want marriage to be re-defined.

Quotes

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, reported 13th February 2012:
“In troubled times, when our society needs to keep its bearings, I don’t think that it is necessary to blur the image of this essential social institution that is marriage.” More….

Hebrews 13:4 (Amplified Bible)
‘Let marriage be held in honour – esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear – in all things.’

Andrea Mrozek, The Institute of Marriage and Family Canada
‘..an exclusive view of marriage can be deemed to be judgemental. But in order for marriage to survive and thrive, it must be exclusive. Marriage cannot logically include every relationship form. Without exclusivity, whether defined by number, gender or preferably both, there is no meaning left to marriage’.

David Blankenhorn, ‘The Future of Marriage (Encounter Books 2007):
The claim that ‘ I have the right to form whatever family I choose’ is fundamentally illiberal. Read full quote.