George Osborne to Tories: Back gay marriage or lose the next election Mitt Romney-style - Polidicks

[url]http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/11/13/george-osborne-tories-must-back-same-sex-marriage-or-risking-losing-like-us-republicans/[/url] [quote=PinkNews][B]UK Chancellor George Osborne has told the Conservative Party that ditching its support for equal marriage could cause a catastrophic defeat at the 2015 general election.[/B] Writing in The Times on Tuesday, the chancellor drew parallels between the position of the Tories and the Republican Party in the United States. Mr Osborne said the Republicans had lost “swathes of voters” last week because of their opposition to equal marriage and abortion rights for women. Invoking the rhetoric of Margaret Thatcher’s 1979 election manifesto, Mr Osborne urged his party to get in step with people and “how they want to live their lives”. The chancellor said: “It is astonishing that Mr Romney won the election among men by a clear-cut margin of 7%; but it was Mr Obama’s 11% lead among women that won it for the president, even though many of those that voted Democrat thought Mr Romney would manage the economy better. “President Obama’s high-profile endorsement of equal marriage for gay couples also enthused younger voters. “But polls found that a majority of all Americans supported him on the issue and voted for it in all four states that held ballots”. The chancellor, who came out in support of equal marriage on the eve of October’s Conservative Party Conference, added: “I strongly support gay marriage on principle. Of course in Britain these issues are ones of individual conscience and free votes, but I am proud to be part of a government that will introduce a bill to allow gay marriage. “It is worth reflecting that in Britain, as in America, a clear majority of the public support gay marriage, and an even bigger majority of women support it. That majority support is just as high in the north as it is the south, and it is equally high among all socio-economic groups”. Last month, in a letter to the former Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan, Prime Minister David Cameron talked of same-sex marriage being “popular” with the electorate and made a similar argument over polling data. The PM said: “I firmly believe that the government’s proposals are entirely consistent with Conservative values, and that is why I will be supporting them.”[/quote]

because tory support wasn't fucking awful already anyway

Oh god I really hope they don't back gay marriage now, I don't think I could stand another 5 years of the Tories, just wait and let labour do it.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;38440599]I don't think I could stand another 5 years of the Tories, just wait and let labour do it.[/QUOTE] I'm not a Tory voter, but, at least they have been doing what they said they would do. Unlike a certain party that broke a lot of promises at the whiff of power and another party that decided the best way to represent the working class was to try and out tory the tories.

[QUOTE=SeamanStains;38440768]I'm not a Tory voter, but, at least they have been doing what they said they would do. Unlike a certain party that broke a lot of promises at the whiff of power and another party that decided the best way to represent the working class was to try and out tory the tories.[/QUOTE] I doubt Ed would stick to much of it, and at least he wouldnt privatise everything

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;38440599]Oh god I really hope they don't back gay marriage now, I don't think I could stand another 5 years of the Tories, just wait and let labour do it.[/QUOTE] so you'd rather Your Favorite Party got into power than actual decent legislation get passed gj

[QUOTE=DainBramageStudios;38440970]so you'd rather Your Favorite Party got into power than actual decent legislation get passed gj[/QUOTE] It's not even a big legislation, they're literally just changing a name from civil partnership to marriage, thats it.

Like anyone would vote for them anyway.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;38441096]It's not even a big legislation, they're literally just changing a name from civil partnership to marriage, thats it.[/QUOTE] But it [I]is[/I] a big piece of legislation. It'd give gay couples much more legal leeway in court. Plus it'd end discrimination on adoption - plus, it'd greatly affect gay couples if they re-introduce Marriage Tax. It'd also give gay couples a huge difference in how the census is recorded - how government forms and polls are collated, how gays are viewed in future lawmaking, etc etc [editline]14th November 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Lium;38441913]Like anyone would vote for them anyway.[/QUOTE] You say that like there is much other choice.

Please don't back gay marriage. We don't want you, no one wanted you. Fuck off

[QUOTE=smurfy;38440384]UK Chancellor George Osborne has told the Conservative Party that ditching its support for equal marriage could cause a catastrophic defeat at the 2015 general election. ][/QUOTE] Please continue opposing gay marriage.

I know there's nothing wrong with the title, but it just reminds me of the Mitt Romney Gangnam style parody.

[QUOTE=The DooD;38460774]I know there's nothing wrong with the title, but it just reminds me of the Mitt Romney Gangnam style parody.[/QUOTE] I was expecting that video to have been in the first 3 posts. :v:

I don't understand the issue with not legalizing gay marriage. Whether you're for or against it, why should the government in the land of the free, restrict who gets married? The churches don't have to have anything to do with it, as the laws say in all of the states where this was passed. Gays will always be gay. Lesbians will always be lesbians. You can be against it all you want but it's bullshit that the government can say no.

[QUOTE=faze;38462627]I don't understand the issue with not legalizing gay marriage. Whether you're for or against it, why should the government in the land of the free, restrict who gets married? The churches don't have to have anything to do with it, as the laws say in all of the states where this was passed. Gays will always be gay. Lesbians will always be lesbians. You can be against it all you want but it's bullshit that the government can say no.[/QUOTE] Well for a start this is in the UK, where there isn't legal separation of church and state (funny how the US constitution doesn't apply to the entire world isn't it?), and second of all practically no one here truly opposes it except some churchy people, everyone else is hiding their bigotry under the guise of "but it's such a waste of time".

[QUOTE=Doozle;38442131]Please don't back gay marriage. We don't want you, no one wanted you. Fuck off[/QUOTE] Hm, I wanted them, and still would prefer them in power.

[QUOTE=Matriax;38465300]Hm, I wanted them, and still would prefer them in power.[/QUOTE] well you're entitled to your opinion. even if it's a big silly willy opinion

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;38440847]I doubt Ed would stick to much of it, and at least he wouldnt privatise everything[/QUOTE] I don't follow you logic. Surely no matter who you vote for, this should be passed. I don't see this as trying to win political points, just saying how much support there is from the public. Labour only have support at them moment because they're not the government anyway. They came to power tomorrow, they'd be stuck in a rut. What are they trying to privatise anyway? Seemed to oppose policing and the NHS when the options were on the table.

The student votes are really going to fuck them up in the 2015 election anyway. I doubt they'll be trusted by this generation ever again as long as DC and NC remain in power.

[QUOTE=SeamanStains;38440768]another party that decided the best way to represent the working class was to try and out tory the tories.[/QUOTE] Except that it stops being a "Working Class party" after Thatcher, and turned into a "Corporativist party" (kinda like the US Democratic Party). They cannot win with the working class alone. Which is why they are courting all sorts of people. Especially the middle class, aka the swing voters. The working class WILL vote for Labour regardless. Simply because they don't have a bloody choice. Say whatever you say, but the Tories are still more right-wing than Labour.