Evangelicals insist ‘vast numbers’ of Brits still oppose gay marriage
Evangelicals have claimed that “vast numbers” of people in the UK are still opposed to same-sex marriage, nearly three years after weddings began.
Same-sex weddings began in England and Wales in March 2014, with little prolonged protest following the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act.
Support for same-sex unions has surged every year since, to an all-time high of 71%. Earlier this year polling confirmed the majority of Anglicans now also support same-sex unions, with 45% believing same-sex marriage is right and just 37% opposed.
Despite the wealth of evidence of public support for same-sex marriage, the anti-LGBT Christian Institute has put out a release two days before Christmas claiming “vast” numbers are still against it.
The extraordinary claim comes after King’s College London opted to remove a photo of the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, a notorious opponent of gay rights, as part of renovation works.
LGBT students had previously called for the picture to be removed, but the university said its removal was part of routine branding refresh.
Responding to the story, Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute claimed King’s would have to “get rid of many more pictures – and many students and staff too” because of the supposedly overwhelming opposition that still exists.
He claimed: ““Despite all the bullying, vast numbers of people still believe that marriage is between a man and a woman and they always will.
“The public are fed up of LGBT witch-hunts. What happened to all that talk of diversity and tolerance?”