Brave stand by couple

Published: 19 November, 2010

• TOM Freeman and Katherine Doyle, the heterosexual couple who were this week refused permission to register for a civil partnership at Islington town hall, deserve the support of the people of Islington (Straight couple fail in new bid for civil union, November 5). 

They have made a brave stand to highlight the double standards which Westminster legislation imposes on registrars. Why should a couple who simply want the law to recognise their relationship be forced to adopt the heavily symbolic rituals of marriage? But equally, why should same-sex couples who value the socially meaningful tradition of marriage be denied it? 

The Green Party has been calling for civil marriages and civil partnerships to be opened up, without discrimination, to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples. I look forward to the day when Islington’s town hall is able to do just that.

CARINA DUNKERLEY
Islington Green Party