LEGAL rights for same-sex couples moved a step closer yesterday, after MSPs asked Westminster to handle the relevant legislation for Scotland.
MSPs voted 80-25 in favour a Sewel motion which will enable the London parliament to introduce a new law on civil partnerships instead of Holyrood.
When passed, it will mean same-sex couples can register their relationship and enjoy similar legal rights to married couples.
However the decision to use a Sewel motion - a technical device allowing Westminster to make laws on devolved matters - was attacked by the SNP.
The Scottish Executive has previously been accused of wanting to pass the civil partnerships bill to London because it was scared of a repeat of the controversy over the repeal of Section 28, which prevented the promotion of homosexuality in schools.
Nicola Sturgeon, SNP shadow justice minister, said: ''I think there is every sign that [ministers] are ducking a morally controversial issue and I think they are wrong to do so.''
She added that surrendering control to London also meant MSPs were denied the chance to correct pitfalls with the plans.
Bill Aitken, Tory MSP for Glasgow, said: ''The fact is that because of the Section 28 debate the executive has bottled it.''
Margaret Smith, the LibDem justice spokeswoman, and the first openly lesbian MSP, also objected to the Sewel motion but urged MSPs to be pragmatic and support it anyway.
Pauline McNeill, Labour convener of the justice 1 committee, also argued the bill needed to be improved as it went through the Houses of Parliament, but added: ''I have supported this legislation for same sex couples for 20 years and nothing technical or otherwise, as far as I'm concerned, will stand in the way of this proceeding today.''
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