Aylesbury MP David Lidington has voted against a bill legalising gay marriage.
The historic vote yesterday (Tuesday) was passed with a 225 seat majority in the House of Commons but Mr Lidington was one of 136 Conservative MPs who voted against the bill.
Other MPs who voted against it included Wycombe MP Steve Baker and Chilterns MP Cheryl Gillan. While Thame MP John Howell voted in favour of the bill.
Liberal Democrat councillor Steven Lambert, an openly gay politician who stood against Mr Lidington at the last general election, was disappointed by the Europe minister’s decision.
He said: “He’s proven yet again he’s out of touch with ordinary people in the Aylesbury Vale. It will have an effect in 2015 at the next general election.
“That coupled with the fact he won’t let out his view on HS2. He’s on a really sticky wicket for 2015.
“He’s out of step. Why should my relationship be less equal?
“It shows that Cameron has not got a grip and that they have not reformed the party. Those old Tory dinosaurs are still there and that’s there for everybody to see. It’s still the same nasty old party.”
Mr Lambert, who entered a civil partnership six years ago, said although the bill was a ‘huge step forward’ he won’t be rushing to get married.
He added: “Everyone I know saw us as being married anyway. They came to our wedding. What the vote now allows for is anybody to get married.
“The moment you stop having divisions in relationships can only be a good thing for helping society to move on and be more harmonious.”
Mr Lambert added that equal marriage rights will provide added security to gay couples and that civil partnership didn’t go the ‘full way’ when it was introduced in 2004.
The most prominent arguments against the bill were from religious groups which said marriage should, as it has for centuries, be between man and woman.
But Mr Lambert pointed to Belgium as an example that accepting equal marriages does not lead to the disintegration of society as has been suggested by some critics.
The bill will now go before the House of Lords and Mr Lambert said he would be taking his time when in Parliament to ask politicians to support the act.
The Bucks Herald has requested an interview with David Lidington.
