A law has finally passed all the way through Parliament which will allow for Mothers' names to be on Marriage Certificates!

A lot of time has passed since David Cameron declared on 18 August 2014: "We’re going to address another inequality in marriage too. The content of marriage registers in England and Wales has not changed since the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign. At the moment, they require details of the couples’ fathers, but not their mothers. This clearly doesn’t reflect modern Britain - and it’s high time the system was updated."

Unfortunately, although the Government ultimately supported this campaign they never laid before Paliament a Government bill to resolve this matter.

There have been various MP private members bills which have tried to make progress and failed due to lack of parliamentary time for debate or due to the dissolution of Parliament prior to the General Election.

Finally MP Tim Loughton's combined bill including #MothersOnMarriageCerts rules (together with provisions for opposite sex civil partnerships and some improvements to the laws surrounding stillbirths) has passed through the House of Commons and the House of Lords and will shortly be going to Royal Assent to be signed into law.

(The link below shows Tim Loughton talking about all aspects of the bill.)

I will endeavour to find out the exact timing of when the practical steps are expected to be taken to let you all know the date of the first marriages when mothers' names can finally be recorded.

Thank you for your support of this campaign.

And finally paying it forward for other campaigns - please take a look at the brilliant 50:50 Parliament campaign: https://www.change.org/p/50-50-parliament-want-women-to-have-equal-seats-and-equal-say-at-westminster-sign-this-petition-to-ask-those-in-power-to-take-action-to-ensure-that-parliament-is-truly-representative-and-inclusive-of-women-let-s-build-a-better-democracy-together

Ailsa