A British bisexual Member of Parliament (MP) has caused controversy in the House of Commons by saying ‘marriage is between a man and a woman’.

Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, said during a discussion on humanist weddings that his religious beliefs influenced his decision on whether to vote for same-sex marriages.

He has tabled an amendment that would separate church and faith-based marriage to the England and Wales equal marriage bill.

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.

British political party Labour has announced they have abandoned support for a 'wrecking' amendment supporting opposite-sex civil partnerships today (20 May).

Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Home Secretary and the Shadow Equalities Minister, has announced Labour will table its own amendment.

As outlined on The World At One, she explained the amendment would establish 'an immediate consultation on opposite-sex civil partnerships', which, she said, could begin even before the bill has completed its parliamentary pasage.

Most Britons back same-sex marriage legislation with only a third against.

That's the result of a new poll by YouGov.

It indicated ongoing support for the legislation going through the UK Parliament for the change in England and Wales. Separate legislation is being developed in Scotland.

The survey found 54% of Britons support same sex marriage legislation, with 36% opposed. Among Conservatives, more people oppose the measures than support them but the margin is narrow (48% to 45%).

UK civil partnerships could be granted to straight couples, after senior minister Maria Miller acknowledged there should be a ‘review’ into the future of the unions.

Last night (16 May), the culture secretary and equalities minister said after lobbying by members of parliament over the status of civil partnerships, the government will ‘formally review’ their future.

Miller is opposed to giving civil partnerships to straight couples, which she has called ‘not a requirement’.

The UK Independence Party has said it may back full gay marriage – but only if Britain pulled out of the European Court of Human Rights.

Unlike the three main political parties, UKIP is against the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government’s current plans for same-sex marriage.

Despite a quadruple legal lock protecting religious groups from being told to conduct marriages for gay couples, the right-wing political party led by Nigel Farage has said the safeguards are not strong enough.

New Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby admits gay relationships have value but won’t shift on same-sex marriage, activist Peter Tatchell has said after meeting with him.

Tatchell urged Welby to reconsider gay marriage equality, apologize for past church persecution of LGBT people and engage with activists in Africa where parts of the Anglican church are leading a wave of homophobic hate.

But Tatchell emerged from meeting Archbishop Welby this afternoon (18 April) with an agreement to further dialogue as the biggest concession he could secure.

Robert Doyle, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, has become the latest senior figure in the Australian Liberal Party to publicly back same-sex marriage and has rubbished the idea that you need both a mother and a father to have a family unit.

‘Don't try and define what a family unit is,’ Doyle told The Age newspaper.

LGBT people and their allies in Scotland have less than five hours to ensure a public consultation on gay marriage goes their way.

Anti-gay campaigners are trying to derail the Scottish Parliament’s marriage equality bill – calling for limitations so officials can refuse to wed lesbian and gay couples and teachers can tell their pupils that gay marriage is wrong.

And the public consultation on the bill will close at 5pm local time this evening (20 March).

Finland’s parliamentary legal committee has voted against same-sex marriage.

On Wednesday (27 February), a bill died on a vote with nine against and eight for, meaning it will not be proposed before the full parliament.

Under the bill, it would have widened marriage laws to include everyone regardless of gender.

At present, same-sex couples can register their partnerships but have limited rights and cannot adopt their partner’s children.

An Australian conservative who is a regular contributor to right-wing magazine The Spectator has written a column in which he explains why he is no longer against same-sex civil marriage.

Lawyer John Heard writes that the separation between religious marriage and civil marriage in Australia means that 'traditional' marriage is not as risk from proposals to allow same-sex marriage.

The majority of members of parliament in the UK House of Commons have voted for same-sex marriage in England and Wales today (5 February).

Despite a large rebellion from backbench MPs, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) bill has passed the important vote needed to take it to the committee stage.

400 MPs voted in favor of same-sex marriage, and 175 voted against.

It will still have to pass other hurdles in both the House of Commons and House of Lords before it can finally pass to Queen Elizabeth II to sign the bill into law.