George Osborne has always sat on the socially liberal wing of the Conservative Party, so it is no surprise that he is a strong supporter of gay marriage. But given the extent of opposition to the policy within Tory ranks (it is reportedly the top reason for members resigning from the party), it’s still notable that he uses an op-ed (£) in today’s Times to signal that the government will press ahead with plans to introduce it.
With an eye to Obama’s victory last week, the Chancellor rightly concludes that social liberalism is the only electorally viable position. He notes that the Republicans “lost swathes of voters who were on their side of the economic argument” because of their stances on abortion and equal marriage, adding that he wouldn’t change “the current abortion laws” (as his voting record indicates) and that he supports gay marriage “on principle”.
But, as ever, Osborne, who is both Chancellor and the Tories’ chief election strategist, also has psephological considerations in mind. He believes the Tories should support gay marriage not just because it is the right thing to do but because it will help them win in the future. Osborne slightly overstates his case by writing that a “clear majority of the public support gay marriage” (the polling evidence is more mixed, although polls generally show at least a plurality in favour) but his wider point – that support for gay marriage is only likely to grow with time – is spot-on. In an echo of Tony Blair, who Osborne refers to as “the master” for his election-winning abilities, he writes that “Successful political parties reflect the modern societies they aspire to lead”. To this end, the Chancellor confirms that the government will “introduce a Bill to allow gay marriage.”
Already, however, his comments have prompted a backlash from Conservatives. Stewart Jackson MP tweets that the Chancellor “should focus less on social liberal obsessions like gay marriage & more on outside M25 priorities like jobs, taxes & growth”. It is, of course, possible to do both. What Tories like Jackson really mean when they say the government should “focus” on other issues is that they don’t want it to ever introduce gay marriage. So long as the Conservative Party continues to boast such figures in its ranks, many socially liberal Britons will feel unable to vote for it.
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