Due to the amount of correspondence I have received I am unable to reply to them all individually before the vote taking place today. I have read all correspondence that I have received and I will consider all of the points raised. Prior to today I have replied to all my constituents with the following:
Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding same sex civil marriage.
I appreciate that this is a contentious issue, and there are still a number of issues with the proposals which need to be resolved.
Alongside the 2010 Conservative Party manifesto we published a ‘Contract for Equalities’ which contained a clear commitment to consider the case for changing the law to allow same sex marriages.
I understand that others may not agree, however I am supportive of equal marriage and believe it should be possible for two people of the same sex to marry in the same way my wife and I are married. I certainly will take all views of my constituents seriously, and will keep them in mind when this issue is debated in the House of Commons.
Hopefully come the General Election, your decision regarding who to vote for will be as a result of a broader consensus, not regarding specific issues such as this.
My position remains unchanged. I will be voting in favour of same sex marriage.