Indy impediment
The Scottish Government has been promising religious groups that they will be protected from possible charges of discrimination if they refuse to undertake same-sex marriages but it made it known late in December 2013 to the equal opportunities committee of the Scottish Parliament, after the Scottish Parliament had approved the principles of the bill in the preceding month, that it cannot guarantee implementation without amendments to the UK Equality Act by the Westminster Parliament.
It is now three years since the Scottish Government launched its consultation on the same-sex marriage legislation.
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Hide AdIts dilatory handling of the matter can only be explained by a desire to put off the highly publicised day when Scotland has its first same-sex wedding ceremony until after the referendum.
These delaying tactics are a discredit to the Scottish Government which tries to be all things to all people, seeks every opportunity to shift blame to the UK Government and puts the goal of breaking up Britain ahead of good government.
Norman Bonney
Palmerston Place
Edinburgh