UK Gay Civil Partnerships

French, gay magazine Têtu, (www.tetu.com) reports in its March 2005 issue, that 20 Registrars in Canada have resigned as they disagree with having to carry out Canadian civil ceremonies for same-sex couples. 12 of the Registrars were from British Columbia and 8 from Saskatchewan. The article finished, stating that "...the Registrars that resigned were replaced without delay..." - lots of liberal folks happy to take the place of the bigots.

Could we see something similar in the UK?

Since the UK Government announced that Civil Partnerships can start to be registered from 5 December 2005, same-sex couples around the UK have been contacting their local Register Offices to find out what Civil Partnership facilities they offer.

We would like to start to compile a list of Offices that are offering a service, and maybe more importantly, those that are resistant to this.

If you have any feedback on any contact you have had with your local Register Office, please send it to me at reg@gayfinance.info and we will start to publish a list on the http://www.civil-partnership.info/ website. Alternatively, leave a "comment" to this post.

Thanks

Dave

News from

Gay.com have reported that some UK cities are already getting ready to register Civil Partners in December 2005, now that the Government have released the Civil Partnerships Bill enactment date.

For the full story, see: http://uk.gay.com/headlines/7541

Isis Financial Planners' Louis Letourneau was interviewed on the UK's BBC2 TV program's "Working Lunch", live, about the Civil Partnership Act and the announcement from the Government that Civil Partners can register from 5 December 2005.

Deputy Women and Equality Minister Jacqui Smith announced today, 21 February 2005, that the landmark Civil Partnership Act will be brought into force on 5 December this year - a truly historic day!

The full press release, from the UK Government reads:

"Monday 21 February 2005 11:16 CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2005

The landmark Civil Partnership Act will be brought into force on 5 December this year. Any couple wishing to form a civil partnership will be able to give notice of their intention to register at a Register Office from that date.

This will allow the first civil partnerships to be formed in time for Christmas on 21 December, after the 15 day waiting period has passed. Some Register Offices in areas such as Brighton, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham and the London Borough of Camden have already started to take expressions of interest from couples interested in forming a civil partnership after the Act comes into force.

Deputy Women and Equality Minister Jacqui Smith said: "I know how much this legislation means to a great many same-sex couples across the country who are eager to finally get legal recognition for their relationships. This legislation is going to make a real difference to these couples and it demonstrates the Government's commitment to equality and social justice. I hope this Act will help create a more equal society. It opens the way to respect, recognition and justice for those who have been denied it for too long."

The Civil Partnership Act allows same-sex couples to make a formal, legal commitment to each other by forming a civil partnership. At present, same-sex couples have no way of gaining formal legal recognition for their relationship and as a result suffer a range of problems in their everyday lives.

Important rights and responsibilities will flow from entering a civil partnership, helping same-sex couples to organise their lives together.

Provisions in the Act include:
* employment and pension benefits;
* recognition under intestacy rules;
* access to fatal accidents compensation;
* recognition for immigration and nationality purposes.
* a duty to provide reasonable maintenance for your civil partner and any children of the family;
* civil partners to be assessed in the same way as spouses for child support;
* equitable treatment for the purposes of life assurance;

The process of entering into a civil partnership will be administered by the local registration service. On the day of registration, each member of the couple will sign in the presence of the registration officer and two witnesses.

The Act also allows for same-sex couples who have entered legally recognised overseas relationships to be treated as civil partners in the United Kingdom.

There will be a formal, court-based process for dissolution of a civil partnership.

Implementation involves significant changes in many areas, for example in court rules, the registration service as well as training and guidance for employers. These changes will be put in place over the course of this year.

Notes to editors
1. The Civil partnership Act 2004 received Royal Assent on 18 November 2004. Ministers indicated at that time that it would take around a year to make the necessary arrangments to bring the Act into force.
2. The UK joins nine EU countries, and some states in the US and Australia, in introducing a form of legally recognised civil partnership registration. "

The UK's Civil Partnership Act, is, of course, a major step forward in wiping away discrimination against gay men and lesbians in the UK. The Act grants very important rights to gay men and lesbians, in such areas as Wills and probate, hospital visiting, etc. However, the Civil Partnership Act says nothing whatsoever about tax. And yet tax is one of the areas where the unfairness of the law is most apparent especially Inheritance Tax as there are now many stories of bereaved partners having to sell the home the couple shared in order to pay a crippling Inheritance Tax bill.

Ever since the Bill was published the Government have promised to include these issues in the "next" Finance Bill - this is due to be presented in the forthcoming 2005 budget, announced by Gordon Brown in March 2005.

Isis Financial Planners' Maggie Fleming reviews what Gordon Brown must do in March and warns us all to take very careful note of what that Budget contains. Read her article "2005 Budget".

The UK's Times Newspaper, on 19th February 2005, announced, "A GAY couple have made history by announcing their engagement in The Times today."

The couple plan to take advantage of the Civil Partnership Act coming into force later this year/early next year, and decided to make history by becoming the first couple to announce their engagment in this very traditional way.

The full story can be viewed at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-2-1490389,00.html.

A new website has been launched by a gay couple in the US, amidst all of the heated debate about Rights, Constitutional Amendments, etc. The site, found at: http://www.civilmarriagecivilright.com/ , takes a personal look at how the rights affect individual couples and why it is so important that rights already gained are defended vigorously and not lost.

George Bush, in his State Of The Union speech on 2 February 2005, called for a constitutional amendment to forbid marriage rights for same-sex couples. He stated, "Because marriage is a sacred institution and the foundation of society, it should not be re-defined by activist judges. For the good of families, children, and society, I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage." This followed on immediately from a statement about "free society"!: "Our second great responsibility to our children and grandchildren is to honor and to pass along the values that sustain a free society. So many of my generation, after a long journey, have come home to family and faith, and are determined to bring up responsible, moral children. Government is not the source of these values, but government should never undermine them."

For the full speech, see: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/02/20050202-11.html .