The Euro-sceptic UK Independence Party has blamed Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision to introduce marriage equality on the European Union.

UKIP claimed the EU Parliament was planning to require member states to recognize civil partnerships and marriages from other countries last November.

‘Many people have been asking what prompted the Prime Minister to pick this uncalled-for fight with many people in his own party and the country at large,’ said UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

The leaders from the three main political parties have praised the majority of MPs in the House of Commons approving same-sex marriage yesterday (5 February).

Passing through to the committee stage, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill was won by a landslide 400 ayes to 175 notes.

However it was not a victory for the Conservative party, as the majority of Tories decided to vote against or abstain from the vote.

A total of 330 MPs have confirmed they will vote in favor of same-sex marriage legislation when it is introduced at Westminster later this year.

In contrast, just 126 Members of Parliament (MPs) have publicly stated that they remain opposed to a change in the law, meaning there is now a clear parliamentary majority for equal marriage.

The bisexual deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, one of Britain’s leading parties, wants to stop all religious groups from marrying couples, gay or straight.

Simon Hughes is to meet the UK’s equalities minister, Maria Miller, to discuss whether only civil officials should be allowed to conduct weddings, Gay Star News can reveal.

His bid would take away one of the key privileges of religious bodies including the Church of England which is officially Britain’s state church and is formally headed by Queen Elizabeth.

The Archbishop of Westminster and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has attacked the UK government’s plans for gay marriage as a ‘shambles’.

Vincent Nichols used his Christmas Eve sermon to launch the attack, saying the government had ‘no mandate’ for introducing marriage equality in England and Wales, reports the BBC.

Conservative voters have defected to a right-wing and anti-European Union party after the government announced their proposal for gay marriage, polls have shown today (16 December).

The UK Independence Party (UKIP)’s leader, Nigel Farage, has pledged to exploit divisions in the Conservative party over the issue, hoping to woo people who are against marriage equality.

In three polls it showed support for the party has grown putting it in third place ahead of the Liberal Democrats.

Veteran gay activist Peter Tatchell has said the Leveson Report into British press standards will help protect the private lives of LGBT people.

And the Australian-born, UK-based human rights campaigner has called for new rights for people to be able to reply to false allegations in the media.

Lord Leveson published his report yesterday after a year-long inquiry sparked by a series of tabloid newspaper standards.

British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has pulled a draft speech in which he branded opponents of gay marriage ‘bigots’, claims Sky News.

The Liberal Democrat Party leader was expected to make the speech at a reception this evening (11 September).

Sky News says the earlier draft released by officials said: ‘Continued trouble in the economy gives the bigots a stick to beat us with, as they demand we “postpone” the equalities agenda in order to deal with “the things people really care about”.’

As leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg is well versed in Britain’s LGBT political agenda.

And, while it’s clear that he hasn’t always found sharing a coalition government with the Conservatives comfortable, Deputy Prime Minister Clegg does seem determined to make the most of his position whenever he can.

Luckily, one priority – and a place where he shares common ground with Prime Minister David Cameron – is on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.

British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has told Gay Star News he is confident of getting his Conservative coalition partners to back the idea of same-sex couples being able to marry in churches.

The Liberal Democrat leader wants religious bodies who wish to, like the Quakers and Liberal Judaism, to be able to marry gay and lesbian couples.

And, he told GSN in an interview conducted on World Pride day (7 July) and published today, he believes he can persuade the rest of the government to back the idea.

The dark clouds which have been hanging ominously over this year’s troubled World Pride event in London finally broke today (7 July), but participants marched on despite the heavy showers.

Although the parade had been turned into a procession with only walking groups and no cars, buses or floats, thousands of people from LGBT organizations, charities, unions and political groups put on a brave face to process through the UK capital’s center.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said marriage equality is not a matter of ‘if’ in the latest Out4Marriage video.

As leader of the Liberal Democrats, he is the most senior politician to make a video stating his support. Clegg is also the first to speak out for equal marriage since the 12-week consultation ended last Thursday.

He says despite provoking a heated debate, the proposals to legalize civil marriages for gay couples were about ‘when and how’ and not ‘a matter of if’.