UK Policy Analyst Warns of Unnecessary Division Over Same-Sex Marriage

By Myles Collier, Christian Post Contributor Thursday, October 11, 2012

A prominent policy analyst in the United Kingdom has publicly stated that the continued push for same-sex marriage by Members of Parliament have caused unnecessary divisions within the governmental body.

Jill Kirby, chairman of the Family Policy Group at the Center for Policy Studies, made the comments to highlight the divisive nature created when pushing forward a narrow political agenda- especially when it doesn't have widespread support. The consequences of such actions could be severe, she said.

Kirby explained that thrusting same-sex marriage to the top of political priority has caused "antagonism between family campaigners and gay people, alienating many Tory voters and party workers, and setting churches and faith groups at odds with the Conservative party."

Kirby made the comments during an interview with the Conservative Home Daily newspaper. She added that the lack of support from political figures endorsing traditional family structures was a major factor in the erosion of the idea of family importance within the United Kingdom.

"The government has failed to introduce any policies to help keep families together, or to support that most important factor in determining family stability, the decision to marry," Kirby said. "Conservatives in government have simply failed to identify and promote this building block of the strong society."

Recently a top Catholic official warned of the unintended consequences of passing laws governing same-sex marriage warning that such actions would reverberate throughout society.

Cormac Murphy O'Connor, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church as well as Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster and former President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, discussed the sentiment of a majority of people in the country.

"Any legislation that supports the family and marriage, I will support. Anything that diminishes it, I will oppose." O'Connor told The Telegraph. "Most people in this country don't really want gay marriage on the statute."

The Cardinal also argued that it is not the government's place to determine what marriage should be adding that it is an important pillar in humanity and that is the "bedrock of our social life and culture."