Cohabitation conundrum

• Legislation aimed at extending the rights for unmarried, opposite-sex couples has moved unopposed to the next stage of its passage through Parliament.

Last month, the issue of extending rights for unmarried opposite-sex couples was debated enthusiastically in the House of Commons, as this key item of legislation moved unopposed to the next stage of its passage through Parliament.

The views expressed in the debate suggest that there is increasing support from MPs for some form of legislative reform, as well as an increased impetus to promote public awareness of the relative lack of rights afforded to cohabitees.

The Civil Partnerships, Marriages & Deaths (Registration Etc) Bill was introduced by Conservative MP, Tim Loughton, and included several important provisions relating to the rights of cohabiting opposite-sex couples.

Glaring inequality

In the House of Commons at the Bill’s second reading, Mr Loughton said he intended to correct the ‘glaring inequality’ that was brought about by the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act. Same-sex couples are able