Despite strict security measures, a woman managed to come within yards of British MPs as they voted on the same-sex marriage bill.

At 7.15pm last night (21 May), a woman in her 40s, dressed in a hajib, drove her red Volkswagen a few meters on to the parliamentary estate at the Carriage Gates before being halted by a security ramp.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘Following a brief conversation between officers and the woman, she locked herself inside the car and refused to leave.

Supporters of a plan to allow humanists to conduct weddings, for gay and straight couples, in England and Wales have pulled their proposal after a debate in parliament.

British Members of Parliament (MPs) spent several hours debating the amendment put forward to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales today (21 May) in the House of Commons.

But now they have pulled it awaiting more information from the government on how to overcome legal challenges their amendment may face.

Conservative party in-fighting and an amendment giving straight couples civil partnerships could delay the England and Wales equal marriage bill for up to two years.

The bill, which returns to the House of Commons today (20 May), is the subject of fierce debate among members of parliament. It will be voted on after two days of discussion.

Members of parliament, led by Tory Tim Loughton, have tabled an amendment expanding civil partnerships to include heterosexual couples.

Same-sex marriage advocates in England and Wales are gearing up for another debate in the House of Commons today and tomorrow (19-20 May).

But while members of parliament lock horns, members of the public have taken to Twitter to make their voices heard.

Whether it's satirical, funny, or just making a great point, we've gathered 18 amazing tweets in support of marriage equality. Check them out here:

An anti-gay Twitter account is calling for a ‘Straight Pride’ on the social networking site.

For the past four days, ‘Straight Pride UK’ has tweeted messages about the need for a heterosexual march on 20 May to protest the upcoming debate on same-sex marriage in the House of Commons.

‘Being straight is not easy under the circumstances of our society. Straight people are being persecuted every day by political correctness,’ they write.

The British government have announced the dates for the next step towards legalizing marriage equality in England and Wales.

Andrew Lansley, the Leader of the House of Commons, told members of parliament the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill will be debated on 20 and 21 May.

It follows the second reading of the bill, which was approved by a 225 vote majority in February.

Transgender people have told top politicians of their bad experiences at the hands of the British press at a meeting in parliament.

The discussion was organized after the death of Lucy Meadows, a transgender school teacher who had been the subject of a critical news story and comment piece by columnist Richard Littlejohn in the Daily Mail, a leading UK tabloid.

Opportunity 

Gay Star News are official media partners for three of the UK’s biggest LGBT events taking place this summer; London Pride, Manchester Pride and Brighton Pride and for EuroPride 2013 taking place in Marseille, France.

Sir Ian McKellen got down on one knee and 'proposed' to Sir Derek Jacobi after hearing marriage equality was one step closer to reality.

The Gandalf actor had been filming an episode of the new TV series Vicious, based on the 1960s play Staircase, at London’s South Bank studio.

On 5 February, the House of Commons voted for same-sex marriage in England and Wales.

In the UK, Members of Parliament (MPs) have been debating equal marriage in the Bill’s Committee Stage which will conclude today.

Under the system for England and Wales, the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill passes through this stage where the really detailed review and revision work is done. It will then be reapproved by the House of Commons before moving to a debate and vote in the House of Lords.

Welsh Secretary David Jones comment gay couples ‘clearly’ cannot raise children has sparked outrage throughout LGBT Britain.

‘I regard marriage as an institution that has developed over many centuries, essentially for the provision of a warm and safe environment for the upbringing of children, which is clearly something that two same-sex partners can’t do,’ he told ITV Wales’ Face To Face program.

The Archbishop of Southwark has said he has accepted defeat and same-sex marriage will become law in England and Wales.

Peter Smith, who is also vice-president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said he has reluctantly accepted the government proposals.

Giving evidence to the committee of MPs working on the next stage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, Smith’s comments come after the House of Commons voted in an overwhelming majority for marriage equality.