The Government has announced that it will start consulting next spring on legalising same-sex marriages, reports the BBC.

 

Currently, marriage is restricted to male and female couples and civil partnerships are only available to same-sex couples.

 

The consultation will seek views on how to allow same-sex couples to take part in civil marriage ceremonies. It will not look at opening up religious marriages to same-sex couples, or civil partnerships to male and female couples.

 

According to the BBC, gay rights campaigners have criticised the Government for delaying the consultation, which was originally to have taken place in June. Campaigners believe the current rules are discriminatory, and have called for the Government to change them now, without the need for a consultation exercise.