Cathal BarryThe Alliance party in the North has drawn sharp criticism over its policy that their candidates in next year’s Assembly elections will have to promise to vote in favour of same-sex marriage at Stormont.
Evangelical Alliance spokesperson Peter Lynas told The Irish Catholic that the Alliance party “seem to be sending a strong message to Christians, both Protestant and Catholic, that they are not welcome”.
“We are curious as to why a liberal party appears to be forcing views on its members and we’re not sure why it didn’t just make it a conscience issue like others have.
“I think that this has become the sole test of equality and that’s very sad,” he said.
Noting that the SDLP offer their candidates “a little bit more discretion” on same-sex marriage, allowing them to abstain from a vote on the issue, Mr Lynas said he hoped “they don’t tighten their position” in the future.
“There is no genuine debate and we are in danger of heading in the future to a situation where no politician will say anything. The space for debate is closing down sadly,” he said.
The Alliance party’s policy more or less guarantees that a vote on same-sex marriage will be passed on a simple majority in the Assembly, though the DUP could still veto it by raising a petition of concern.