Ulster-born MP's same-sex marriage bill hits roadblock

Labour MP Conor McGinn has called on the Government to introduce its own Equal Marriage Bill for Northern Ireland, after his Private Member’s Bill was shot down at Westminster.

The bill failed to progress past second reading in the Commons on Friday following an objection by a backbench Conservative MP.

The DUP, which has prevented the introduction of same-sex marriage at Stormont, were absent from the House of Commons chamber.

Mr McGinn, who is originally from south Armagh and is son of a former Sinn Fein Mayor of Newry and Mourne, Pat McGinn, expressed disappointment that his bill – which was co-sponsored by a cross-party group of MPs – was not able to progress to committee stage.

The Labour MP for St Helens North said that it was now up to the Government to ensure marriage equality for same-sex couples in the Province.

Meanwhile, the Love Equality campaign has announced a march and rally in Belfast on Saturday, June 2, to call for same-sex marriage legislation.

Mr McGinn said: “Hundreds of thousands of people in Northern Ireland who support the right of same-sex couples to marry will be outraged that one English Tory MP has been able to prevent the progress of my Equal Marriage Bill in the House of Commons.”