Sex discrimination over civil partnerships

While civil partnerships have been legal for some years now and are part of the fabric of our society, they are not available to heterosexual couples.

Many heterosexual couples who have been in a stable relationship for many years and would like to put their relationship on a more financially firm foundation, to include pension and property rights, are denied this option because of their sexual orientation. If this is not discrimination I don`t know what is!

Am I being cynical in thinking the Government is terrified at the cost of this to the state pension scheme and are therefore willing to act in a discriminatory manner to thousands of heterosexual couples who would like to take advantage of a civil partnership rather than a commitment to marriage? Marriage is now available to everyone – why not civil partnerships?

Ian Graham