A heterosexual couple who labelled traditional marriage as a “sexist” and “patriarchal” institution, have lost their appeal to enter into a civil partnership.
Londoners Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan argued that being denied the right to enter into a civil partnership – a choice open to same-sex couples – was discriminatory. They believe a civil partnership is a more equal arrangement which is not burdened with the “sexist history” of marriage.
They lost their three-year legal campaign by a majority of two to one, but one judge said the law needed to be changed immediately, while two other judges said the government could have longer to review the law.
Last summer, the Isle of Man, which is not part of the UK, became the first part of the British Isles to legalise opposite-sex civil partnerships. Several British couples have already travelled to the capital, Douglas, to take advantage of its more liberal partnership laws.
Louise Whitfield, from the law firm Deighton Peirce Glynn who represented the couple, said: “This is very frustrating. It was such a narrow win for the government.
“They all agreed that the government was living on borrowed time and that there had been a potential violation of their rights.
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