British PM faces fresh pressure from church leaders over plans to legalise gay marriage

David Cameron faces fresh pressure from church leaders over the Government's plans to legalise gay marriage.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, has branded the proposals as 'madness' and a 'grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right'.

He also accuses the coalition Government of trying to change long standing laws. 

The Prime Minister however, is a 'passionate' advocate of the change, telling his party two years ago he supported gay marriage 'because I am a Conservative'.

But in an article for The Sunday Telegraph, Cardinal O'Brien wrote: 'Since all the legal rights of marriage are already available to homosexual couples, it is clear that this proposal is not about rights, but rather is an attempt to redefine marriage for the whole of society at the behest of a small minority of activists.

'Same-sex marriage would eliminate entirely in law the basic idea of a mother and a father for every child. It would create a society which deliberately chooses to deprive a child of either a mother or a father.

'Other dangers exist. If marriage can be redefined so that it no longer means a man and a woman but two men or two women, why stop there? Why not allow three men or a woman and two men to constitute a marriage, if they pledge their fidelity to one another?'

But Margot James, the first openly lesbian Conservative MP, criticised the 'apocalyptic language' used by the Cardinal and accused him of 'scaremongering'.

She told BBC 1's Andrew Marr Show: 'I think it is a completely unacceptable way for a prelate to talk.

'I think that the Government is not trying to force Catholic churches to perform gay marriages at all. It is a purely civil matter.

David Cameron is a supporter of the plans to legalise gay marriage which will be unveiled by the equalities minister and Lib Dem MP Lynn Featherstone this month 

She added: 'I think this sort of scaremongering is what it is, it is just scaremongering.'

Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman said she hopes the comments would not end up 'fuelling or legitimising prejudice.'

She said: 'We have had prejudice, discrimination and homophobia for hundreds of years, that doesn't make it right.'

The Rev Sharon Ferguson, a pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church, and her partner Franka Strietzel, has fought for same sex marriage

'I don't want anybody to feel that this is a licence for whipping up prejudice.'

Earlier this week the Home Office defended the plans after Tory MP Peter Bone called them 'completely nuts'.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, wants to stop gay clergymen becoming bishops

A Home Office spokeswoman said the Government believed that 'if a couple love each other' and want to commit to a life together they should 'have the option of a civilmarriage irrespective of their sexual orientation'.

Equalities minister Lynne Featherstone is due to launch a consultation on the plans later this this month.

The issue of gay rights has not only split the Catholic Church but also the Church of England.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is believed to have given his backing to an Anglican Covenant which would stop gay members of the clergy becoming bishops.

However, last night worshippers and members of the clergy rejected the plans in votes across the country. Two bishops voted against it. 

Dr Williams believes that if openly gay members of the clergy were allowed to become bishops it could result in the dissolution of the Anglican church. 

A majority of 44 dioceses have to vote in favour of the covenant before it is taken to a final vote at the General Synod. 

However, last night 13 dioceses voted against it while eight supported it. 

More polls will take place over the next few weeks.

(DailyMail)