Government minister criticised for ‘gold standard’ marriage comment

Ministers risk undermining the status of existing civil partnerships by calling marriage the “gold standard” for all couples, an MP warned.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller said it was “the thing people aspire to” as she defended the Government’s plans to legalise same-sex marriage.

But she faced criticism from Labour MP Chris Bryant, who said she made him feel that his own civil partnership was not the best thing.

The exchange came as MPs grilled Mrs Miller, Education Secretary Michael Gove and church leaders on the detail of the controversial legislation.

Mrs Miller said: “…this bill is all about extending marriage and that’s what we believe is the gold standard, that is the thing people aspire to.”