Come round here and say that!!!

My blog doesn't normally (well, never really) take a political stance but every now and then something happens or you hear something that just won't leave you alone.

Yesterday David Jones, the Conservative MP for Clwyd West went on ITV Wales defending his decision to vote against the Government's plans to introduce gay marriage.  Fine, if you don't agree with it, that's up to you.  I don't see why anyone should or would give a damn about two people they don't know getting married but fill your boots if it makes you happy.  What really stuck in my head (and throat) was his comment that same-sex couples can't provide a 'warm and safe environment'.  I'm not going to paraphrase, that wouldn't be fair.  If I did I'd probably make him sound more ignorant than he is.  What he actually said was......

"I was one of two cabinet ministers who did vote against it and it was for various reasons. Certainly in constituency terms, I felt that overwhelmingly the constituents of Clwyd West were opposed to the change. But also I regard marriage as an institution that has developed over many centuries, essentially for the provision of a warm and safe environment for the upbringing of children, which is clearly something that two same-sex partners can’t do. Which is not to say that I'm in any sense opposed to stable and committed same-sex partnerships."

Well thanks for not being opposed to my relationship as well!

Funnily enough Andrew White, the director of Stonewalls, has commented that opinion polls show that 62% of people in Wales support the UK Government's proposals for same-sex marriage so either Mr Jones is lying or a large number of the 38% who were 'opposed to the change' must live in Clwyd West! (I'm not having a dig at residence of Clwyd West)

Following the backlash Mr Jones issued a statement saying the following....

"I did not say in the interview that same sex partners should not adopt children and that is not my view.
I simply sought to point out that, since same sex partners could not biologically procreate children, the institution of marriage was one that, in my opinion, should be reserved to opposite sex partners."

Sounds like a bit of back-peddling to me, but also a stupid thing to say  So, we should adopted but we can't provide a warm and safe environment?  Just because we can't biologically 'procreate' does that mean we shouldn't get married.  And what about 'opposite sex partners' that can't 'procreate'? Should they not be able to get married either or is it ok just because they are opposite sexes?

My message to Mr Jones is this.  Come round to my house and meet our family, speak to any of our friends, social workers and health visitors that have experienced our warm and safe environment and then tell me that we don't have the essentials to bring up our child!

I dare you!!!