Gay Marriage Has Divided the Country, Admits British Prime Minister David Cameron
British Prime Minister David Cameron has conceded that his pursuit of legalizing gay marriage has left Britain divided.
As well as facing public criticism of trying to push through gay marriage regardless of pubic opinion, Cameron is also facing the challenge of uniting a fractured Conservative Party prior to the next General Election. Many Tories have been left bemused by Cameron's continued pursuit of gay marriage despite clear objections among many within his own party.
Cameron recently explained that he will now look to step back from the gay marriage debate in order to focus on "big picture" issues such as the economy and job creation during an interview with BBC Radio's Today show.
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Earlier in the week a vote was held where nearly half of all Tory Members of Parliament voted against the Marriage Bill that will aim to legalize same sex marriage, highlighting the split within the party.
"On the gay marriage issue, this is an issue clearly that divides the country. It certainly divides the Conservative Party," Cameron said during the radio interview.
"But I think it is right for Britain, like other countries, to take on this issue and to determine the right approach and that's exactly what I've done and I'm proud of the fact that this legislation has now passed the House of Commons."
Despite the fact the economic climate in Britain has been strained, Cameron has spent months pushing gay marriage legislation aggressively. However, in the interview the prime minister revealed that his government would now look to focus on other urgent problems affecting Britain.
"If you're saying to me, 'Is the first now of many other issues like that?' No it isn't. The Government now is going to be absolutely focused on the big picture, which is fixing our economy, reforming welfare, making sure there are good schools for our children to go to," Cameron told the BBC.
However, despite Cameron's new attempts at saying he will no longer push the gay marriage agenda some are saying it is too little too late to rally the fractured Conservative Party around him, and that many have become disillusioned with his leadership.
Earlier in the year several Conservative MPs felt that the prime minister would not be able to rectify the situation because the fight for gay marriage might have been "the straw that broke the camel's back," according to The Sunday Times.
