PM ‘relaxed’ on issue of gay marriage

The Prime Minister is facing fierce criticism from some Conservative MPs for championing changes to the law to allow same-sex marriage in church – due to be unveiled today by Culture Secretary Maria Miller – and up to 130 are tipped to oppose him in a free vote next year.

Mr Cameron accepted that equal marriage was “not a priority by any stretch of the imagination” at a time when the Government is preoccupied with deficit 
reduction and public sector reform.

But he insisted it was a “good and right” thing to do and said he expected the measure to get a big majority in a free vote.

Meanwhile, one of the most vociferous Tory opponents of 
gay marriage, Monmouth MP David Davies, took to Twitter to deny he was “bigoted” after activists responded with anger to his claim that “most parents would prefer their children not to be gay”.

Mr Davies warned of a grassroots backlash which could harm the Tories, telling the BBC: “We’re going to lose a large number of very loyal activists who’ve gone out and campaigned for us over the years and who don’t like this idea, so politically it’s barking mad.”