Millionaire gay dads celebrate vote success (From Chelmsford Weekly News)

Millionaire gay dads celebrate vote success

7:10am Monday 18th February 2013 in News

DANBURY’S millionaire gay dads are looking to tie the knot after MPs gave the green light to same sex marriage.

Barrie and Tony Drewitt-Barlow were present in the House of Commons when MPs voted in favour of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill last Tuesday.

The bill will now go to the House of Lords where if it is passed will become an act of British law allowing gay and lesbian couples to get married, something Barrie said he and his partner want to do.

A gleeful Barrie said: “My first thoughts were, my God, it has actually gone through and all the campaigning was worth it.

“It is a very historical day for the gay community.

“It’s a giant step forward for us all.”

Ministers voted by 400 to 175 in favour of the bill, with a majority of 225.

However, 136 Tory MPs opposed the bill, outnumbering those from the party who sided with Prime Minister David Cameron, and have continued to be openly critical of it.

This has done little to dampen the spirits of the couple, who celebrated in the Commons as the bill went through.

“We celebrated in the viewers gallery with the rest of the gay community who were there and then went to meet many of the MPs in the bar at the House of Commons right after the vote,” said Barrie.

Speaking of his partner, he added: “Tony has decided he would like to run for a seat in Essex for the Conservative party and so the next step for him is to let the PM know he is interested and he wants to stand.”