The Catholic Church in England and Wales and the Church of England are planning a campaign of opposition to 
the Coalition Government’s plans to introduce same-sex marriage.
In a meeting this week, Home Secretary Theresa May told Church leaders that the Government intends to press ahead with its plans to bring forward legislation on the issue.
After the meeting, Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark (pictured) said Ms May had confirmed that the Coalition intends to redefine marriage in England and Wales to include same-sex couples and that a public consultation – to be launched in March – would merely be about details.
He said the Catholic Church and the Church of England were “as one” in opposing the move. Archbishop Smith met Mrs May alongside William Fittal, secretary general of the Church of England.
He noted that civil partnerships already offer same-sex couples virtually all the rights of marriage. He said out that when he met with the Home Secretary, she seemed unable to say why marriage should be redefined in light of that.
He said: “I suspect the Government hasn’t really thought out why the definition of marriage should be changed.”
A spokesperson for the Church of England said: “The Church of England is committed to marriage as being between a man and a woman and will respond in full to the consultation when it is launched.”
The spokesperson added: “Opening marriage to same-sex couples would add nothing to the rights and responsibilities that already arise with a civil partnership but would require multiple changes to law, with the definition of marriage having to change for everyone.”
The news that the Churches plan to oppose the the Government’s proposal comes after it emerged that Prime Minister David Cameron faces the threat of a backbench Tory revolt as up to 100 MPs may line up to oppose government plans to legalise same-sex marriage.
According to The Guardian, Tory MPs who have raised concerns about the move with ministers at meetings of the 1922 committee are behind the threat.
Mr Cameron announced his support for same-sex marriage at the Conservative Party Conference last year, but the move was heavily criticised by a range of prominent Tory figures.
Gerard Howarth, a defence minister in the Coalition Government, said that the move was “a step too far”. And a former party former chairman, Lord Tebbit, questioned the Government’s approach on the issue.
He said: “I would have thought there were other priorities at a time like this. There can be no such thing as same-sex marriage. Marriage is between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others.”