MPs debate gay marriage - latest updates plus YOUR views (From Cotswold Journal)

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A leading Tory opponent of same-sex marriages has told how he received death threats and was called a Nazi for speaking out against the proposals.
Ministerial aide David Burrowes said his children had been taunted about his stance and had been told "their dad's a bigot".
Mr Burrowes, a parliamentary private secretary to Cabinet minister Owen Paterson, said he was "very sad" at the Government for introducing the legislation.
He told the Commons: "I myself have been subject to abuse and even death threats for my position on the redefinition of marriage."

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Mr Cameron,  speaking in a last minute televised statement recorded in 10 Downing Street less than two hours before MPs vote on a Bill to legalise same sex marriage,  insisted he had always been "vocal" in his support for the move.
"Today is an important day. I am a strong believer in marriage. It helps people commit to each other and I think it is right that gay people should be able to get married too," he said.
"This is, yes, about equality. But it is also about making our society stronger.
"I know there are strong views on both side of the argument - I accept that. But I think this is an important step forward for our country."

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:: What is the Government proposing?
The legislation going through parliament would allow couples who are the same sex to get married in England and Wales. Currently they only have the option of a civil partnership - which offers the same legal rights and protections on issues such as inheritance, pensions, and child maintenance. Supporters say gay relationships should be treated in exactly the same way as heterosexual ones.

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Prime Minister David Cameron today said that allowing gay people to marry will "make our society stronger", in a Downing Street statement.

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The Church of England fears it could be forced to conduct same-sex marriages if a new law which exempts it from holding the controversial ceremonies is overruled by the European Court of Human Rights, the Tory MP who represents the church in the Commons said today.
Sir Tony Baldry, the Second Estates Church Commissioner, said he was happy with concessions the Government made introducing a "quadruple lock", which exempts the Church of England from holding same-sex marriages.
But he said ministers needed to make it harder for any possible legal challenges to the legislation on the grounds that it breached the human rights of same-sex couples.
Sir Tony added he would be voting against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill as he was concerned it could be successfully challenged at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, forcing churches to hold the ceremonies.

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Senior Tory Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, said he had supported other legislation which aimed at ending discrimination against people because of the sexuality, such as supporting civil partnerships.
He said: "I will vote against this measure tonight not because I think the world will end if we see it pass but because I have serious misgivings that in spite of the minister's commendable efforts, recognised by the Church of England, it is impossible to guarantee that religious freedom will not be compromised."
Labour former minister Stephen Timms said he planned to vote against the Bill at third reading because the principle of marriage was to bring children in to the world. Allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry would undermine this principle, he said.

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Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, who covers the equality brief for Labour, welcomed the measures to the Commons.
She said: "Today, Parliament has the chance to support loving couples who want to get married. The chance to make some of the same-sex couples I have spoken to in the last few weeks very happy - it means they can finally set a date for their wedding.
"Couples who love each other should be able to get married regardless of their gender and sexuality and we should enjoy that and we should celebrate that."

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Allowing same-sex couples to marry will create a "fairer place to live", the Commons heard ahead of a crunch vote on the divisive issue.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller insisted the Government's proposals would protect freedom of faith and extend equality to gay couples.

But in an indication of the way the issue has split the Conservative Party, one former coalition minister said the Government had no mandate for such a "massive social and cultural change".

Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth told her it was not in the Conservative Party's manifesto and Prime Minister David Cameron had said he had "no plans" to introduce the measure.

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