Gay peers' partners may get titles (From Bucks Free Press)

Gay peers' partners may get titles

2:39pm Sunday 1st July 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

The partners of gay knights and peers could be given titles similar to those for the wives of heterosexual men

The partners of gay knights and peers could be given titles like those for wives of heterosexual men under plans going before parliament.

Under the current honours system, wives of men made sirs or lords becomes ladies.

But there is no equivalent for boyfriends of gay men given titles, like Sir Elton John's partner David Furnish. Neither can husbands of women made dames use a prefix.

Tory MP Oliver Colville will this week unveil a 10- minute rule Bill aimed at bringing equality to the system, amid reports the Government is preparing to investigate reform.

His Honours (Equality of Titles for Partners) Bill will be launched in the Commons on Tuesday, asking "that leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for husbands and civil partners of those receiving honours to be allowed to use equivalent honorary titles to those available to women".

He told The Sunday Times: "The current system is uneven and rather outdated.

"If you are made a peer or a knight, your wife automatically gets the title lady, but if you are gay or are a woman and become a dame your partner gets nothing."