■ Jamie Fitch and Rogan Mathie were among just under 700 same-sex couples to tie the knot in England and Wales today.  The registered their partnership in Surrey and held their reception at the Swallow Coulsdon Manor Hotel.

LONDON, December 21, 2005  –  Labour’s Deputy Minister for Equality, Meg Munn MP, has congratulated gay couples across the country who are taking part in the UK’s first same sex civil partnership ceremonies this week.

Today, the final day of ‘first registrations’, almost 700 couples registered their partnerships in England and Wales.  First registrations in Northern Ireland were on Monday, and in Scotland on Tuesday.

“I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to all those couples who are registering their partnerships this week,” said Ms. Munn

“The Labour Party has for a long time been at the forefront of efforts to ensure equality for all.  This groundbreaking piece of legislation follows that tradition and gives same sex couples the same rights as married couples.

“It gives legal recognition to same-sex relationships – relationships that up to now have been invisible in the eyes of the law.

“It gives rights which many married people take for granted in areas such as taxation, including inheritance tax, life assurance, employment and pension benefits (including survivor benefit rights), inheritance of a tenancy agreement and, intestacy rules.

“On behalf of the Labour Government I wish all the couples taking part in civil partnership ceremonies much happiness in the future,”

SEE ALSO

Why We Should All Share In These Celebrations.  By British Prime Minister Tony Blair.  Across the country this week, hundreds of couples will be celebrating a major milestone in their lives. They will be followed by thousands more in the coming months as same sex couples take the opportunity to gain legal recognition and protection for their relationship.  ... [I]n ceremonies up and down the country this week, we can also see that, as a society and country, we continue to move in the right direction. That's a good enough reason for us all to celebrate. (The Independent - UK, December 21, 2005)