Green councillor who opposed equal marriage learns fate today (From The Argus)
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Green councillor who opposed equal marriage learns fate today
4:07pm Monday 10th September 2012 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter
A Green councillor who voted against supporting same-sex marriage will learn her fate at 5pm today.
Every elected member on Brighton and Hove City Council except Christina Summers voted to lobby the Government to lift the ban.
This was despite the Greens being the first mainstream party to advocate making the marriages legal.
Coun Summers, who represents Hollingdean and Stanmer and is a devout Christian, said it was a “conscience decision”.
An internal inquiry to look into the case was set up by the Brighton and Hove Green party in July.
Since then Coun Summers’ has been absent from a number of meetings of the local authority’s planning committee, on which she is the deputy chairwoman.
A spokesman for the Greens said the decision of the panel will be announced at 5pm today.
Comments(8)
TomDenman
says...
4:32pm Mon 10 Sep 12
BmthSeagull
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4:38pm Mon 10 Sep 12
Crystal Ball
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4:46pm Mon 10 Sep 12
Respect due to her for standing by her values.
Heathen Earth
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6:42pm Mon 10 Sep 12
Cllr Summers is fully entitled to her opinions, but absolutely not entitled to force them on the constituents, she is therefore, in my opinion, unfit to even remain a Counsellor, let alone represent the Green Party.
nocando
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7:12pm Mon 10 Sep 12
This is pure censorship, a blatant attempt at thought control and a thoroughly sinister decision from people unused and unsuitable for any kind of political power.
The whole idea of voting is that you get to make your opinion count. This lot are an affront to democracy and I hope they realise what they've just done. Bunch of control freaks. Why are gays so much more important than Christians anyway? I thought it was all about equality, glad I never bought into the concept in the first place, we're being mugged off here.
Tel Scoomer
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9:32am Tue 11 Sep 12
Heathen Earth wrote:Oh dear. What muddled thinking in your factually deficient comment. The undertaking related to equalities, not gay marriage. Gay marriage wasn't in the party manifesto either. Respect for people of all beliefs was. In censoring this Cllr, her beliefs are not being respected. The disciplinary panel should, by the same logic, be disciplined for this.
Just in case some of the above need a little help with rational thought process, Cllr Summers was elected as a Green Party representative. The Green Party have supported equal marriage for many years. It therefore follows that the people who voted for her expect her to follow Green Party policy, something that she explicitly agreed to do when some of her colleagues had doubts about her commitment. She has therefore not only lied to her colleagues, but betrayed the constituents. She could of course have saved herself the humiliation of this enquiry and kept her dignity by abstaining from the vote.
Cllr Summers is fully entitled to her opinions, but absolutely not entitled to force them on the constituents, she is therefore, in my opinion, unfit to even remain a Counsellor, let alone represent the Green Party.
Cllrs should explain themselves, their views and their reasons for voting or not voting in support of policies. Watching the webcast, it's not hard to notice Cllr Ani Kitcat when the debate starts but then she disappears. I would like to hear why she didn't vote in favour if gay marriage. She had the chance but chose not to support the motion. Withholding support breaches the pledge too. Shame on the dishonest Greens!
Tel Scoomer
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9:35am Tue 11 Sep 12
john5001 says...
4:14pm Mon 10 Sep 12