I wish I could understand the people who are so adamant that gay men or women should not be allowed to formalise and celebrate their commitment and love for each other by getting married. The bill being considered at the moment specifically protects those religions that have objections to the notion of same sex marriage so that they cannot be compelled to act contrary to their agreed beliefs. Only religions that are willing to marry same sex couples will be doing so.

Those who would deny the gay community the right that straight couples enjoy employ a variety of arguments, none convincing. That marriage is all about bringing children into the world is clearly a non-runner as childless couples would by implication have no need or right to be married. And plenty of children are born outside marriage and suffer no harm for that reason alone. Then there is the old chestnut ‘Why are they bothering with this unimportant issue when the economy is in such a mess?’ That argument, if taken seriously, would preclude any legislation that didn’t restore the UK’s triple A rating with Moody.

And Norman Tebbitt has really helped the debate with his talk of future lesbian queens providing heirs to the throne by artificial insemination or the spectre of men marrying their sons to avoid inheritance tax. This is the best they can come up with to scupper a compassionate initiative designed to level the playing field so that all couples who wish to make a commitment to each other can do so irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.

In a world in which a huge variety of religions approach their particular paths to salvation in many different ways, including attitudes to marriage, some religions will be more comfortable than others about same sex marriage; these are the religions that will be offering such marriages. None will be compelled to do so and rogue members of the non-participating religions will not be allowed to embarrass their organisations by doing so.

The fact that there are so many couples in this country anxious to be accorded the same status as male/female couples is evidence that marriage is still a strong institution and seen as something worth having. It is not in the least devalued as the antis would suggest.