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THE NORTHERN ASSEMBLY has voted against calls to legalise civil marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland.
MLAs voted 53 to 42 against a call from Sinn Féin asking the power-sharing executive to legislate so that same-sex couples would enjoy full marriage rights.
Sinn Féin’s motion had followed on from the Constitutional Convention in the Republic, where 79 per cent of members supported a recommendation that the Irish Government amend the constitution and allow full civil marriage for homosexual couples.
The motion noted that the Convention included “the participation of parties from the Assembly”. Four of the 100 members of the Convention are MLAs; they include the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness.
The Alliance Party, which often holds the balance of power in the 108-member Assembly, had proposed an amendment which would have ensured faith groups still had the right “to define, articulate and practise religious marriage as they determine”.
Sinn Fein supported the amendment, but both the amendment and the motion itself were voted down by members of the two main Unionist parties, the DUP and the UUP.
The Unionist members had called for a cross-community vote on the main motion – a procedure which means a majority of members from both of the designated Nationalist and Unionist groups was needed.
The call meant that the motion would almost certainly be defeated, irrespective of whether an overall majority was in favour of it.
As it happened, only three of the 53 Unionist votes were in favour of the move, while all 37 Nationalists – from Sinn Féin and the SDLP – voted Yes.
Ahead of the vote, Sinn Féin’s Caitriona Ruane said the DUP “might block the motion today, but equal marriage is coming. Sinn Féin is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the LGBT community.”
The vote was the second time in six months that Unionist MLAs blocked proposals to allow full marriage equality for same-sex couples: a previous vote in October was defeated by 50 votes to 45.
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Shame he can’t sign one punishing anyone in the US from interfering in foreign elections. Although, in fairness, they have often just skipped the elections and went straight for the overthrow.
@WinstonSmith: He’s been asking why he just can’t assassinate world leaders he doesn’t like…
@WinstonSmith: “Overthrow” is politically incorrect. “Regime change to restore democracy” is more acceptable.
@John Ryan: Surprised he didn’t drone strike McCain’s funeral. Would be a fitting tribute.
@kartz: Yeah democracy all right. The voters at shareholder meetings for oil companies and companies that sell military equipment.
@kartz: or in Egypt’s case, ‘regime change to irradicate democracy’ when the Yanks didn’t like who the Egyptian people voted for.
@WinstonSmith: Because someone in the whitehouse snatched the documents from his desk before he could sign them
@Harry Whitehead: an observation is not whataboutary…. back under the bridge with you troll
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: …irradiate OR eradicate, not both.
@Harry Whitehead: The well documented interference of the US in hundreds of foreign governments is neither a conspiracy not disputed. It also happens to be the same topic, that topic being meddling on foreign governments. …. and I am not embarrassed, but I thank you for your concern.
Another document he thinks he signed. One of his own staff probably switched it out for an expenses claim form at the last second while making screw ball gestures behind his back.
@Tweed Cap: probably just a small loan of a million dollars…
Will that order include American interference in other countries elections also.
@Donal Desmond: No, that wouldn’t really make a lot of sense as they’d be punishing themselves. Hope this helped.
That horse has bolted Donald, much to your benefit.
That’s sorted so….!!!
@Paul Shepherd: Israel of course will be exempt
@Tommy C: I think you’ll find they are fully embedded
To be honest, lads, I jumped straight to the comments on this one….
@Eidhne Conlon: Can understand why. Down with anyway.
The real teflon don
@Kieran Stafford: Muller got Gotti…he’ll get Trump too…
@John Ryan: not likely
What’s he going to do? Go to some other country (I’m looking at you Russia) and prosecute someone there? Yeah right
McCarthyism Paranoia… I can see free speech on Twitter from people in foreign countries tweeting about the US elections being chased by the FBI and by the NSA now?
To all my cousins and friends living in America. Don’t vote for this annoying orange clown next election. Awaits the jackboots of Team America at my door.
Crickets……
What a knut.
I wonder if they will prosecute Israel now
Will he expect the ICC to do the prosecuting?
Waiting for the Journal to publish a story on how John Kerry may have violated the Logan Act on multiple occasions. I could be waiting a while.
This will backfire spectacularly on him.. dunce
have your say