Marriage and the Family Devalued

English proposals which will further devalue marriage and family life could bring pressure on the Scottish Executive to follow suit.

Unmarried couples could win the right to a share of each other's wealth in the event of a break-up, under plans being published today. The Law Commission in England will publish a consultation document setting out possible improvements in the rights of the two million people who "live in sin".

A key proposal is likely to be changing the law to recognise contracts drawn up between live-in lovers and setting out how property should be divided if a relationship falters.

The commission may also propose that couples who live together for a certain period of time should get legal and financial rights. The plans may even go as far as proposing divorce-style payments when cohabiting couples split up in some circumstances, particularly when children are involved.

Critics of the current law point out that homosexual couples have been granted the right to legal protection under the Civil Partnership Act.

But the same critics seem blind to the fact that there already exists a remedy for those want to create some sort of protection to themselves within a relationship - it's called marriage. Simply fill in the forms, turn up at a registry office with witnesses and take your vows/oath/whatever.

Given that there already exists a remedy for such couples, this new proposal can only be seen as a further attack on the Christian basis of our country.