Rush is on for 'gay marriages' (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Rush is on for 'gay marriages'

SWINDON Register Office has seen a rush for requests for gay civil partnerships.

Yesterday marked the introduction of the new Civil Partnerships Act.

For the first time, same-sex couples will have the same legal rights as heterosexuals, although it is not a marriage.

Karen Knapton, superintendent registrar for Swindon Council, saw eight couples in the first few hours.

"The response is pretty much as expected," she said yesterday. "This gives same-sex couples legal rights in regards to housing, pensions and inheritance."

Mrs Knapton, pictured, a registrar with 20 years' experience, is a staunch supporter of the new act.

She said: "It has been a long time coming. The only thing that separates a gay person from a heterosexual person is their sexual orientation.

"The couples I saw were all in relationships that have spanned many years."

The change in the law means that gay couples can now legally register their partner as their next of kin.

Campaigners say the law ends years of inequalities for same-sex couples.

The first Swindon couple hope to make legal history on December 21 after the mandatory 15-day waiting period.

Unlike marriages, however, the official signing of the partnership papers does not need to happen in public.

Helen Thompson, chairwoman of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Coalition, has welcomed developments.

She said: "This is a very happy day we have long been campaigning for this.

"Twenty years ago you would never have thought this could happen."

Ms Thompson knows of several gay couples in Swindon who are planning ceremonies.

But she thinks it will be a long time before homosexuals are fully integrated into society.

"Sadly, there are still lots of bigots around," said Ms Thompson.

The Act received Royal Assent in November last year.

One of the busiest districts may be on the South Coast, where Brighton and Hove City Council says it already has 510 provisional bookings.

To cope with the demand, the Register Office is expanding and, in addition to the city's town halls, there are 23 other venues where couples can hold their ceremonies, including the Royal Pavilion, Brighton Pier and the Sea Life Centre.

Officials estimate there will be more than 42,000 civil partnerships by 2050.

The next meeting of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Coalition will be on Wednesday, December 14 at 7pm at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street.

Kevin Shoesmith