Sex to be removed from matrimonial law if marriage is redefined
May 30, 2012
Sex will have to be removed from marriage law in order to make way for same-sex marriage, The Sun reported at the weekend.
The current law says newlyweds must have “natural and complete” sexual intercourse, otherwise the marriage isn’t legal.
But the detailed wording of the law means that same-sex couples cannot meet the requirements, and so the law would have to be changed if gay marriage is introduced.
Removing sex from marriage law would cause legal problems for people caught in sexless marriages.
Tory MP Edward Leigh, a Roman Catholic, told The Sun: “It will have profound effects on the ability of individuals to have a marriage annulled. This is important to Catholics for whom annulment is permitted by the church, but divorce is not.”
He said there would be a rash of legal challenges if the need to consummate a marriage is removed.
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“I support defining marriage as the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.”