Bad news for pro-marriage campaigners:
"The number of marriages in England and Wales has slumped to the lowest level on record, it was announced today. The 10% cent fall reversed three years in which an increased number of people had tied the knot. Provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics showed there just were just 244,710 weddings in 2005. In London the decrease was even more marked, with marriages falling by 35%. The figures follow changes in the law by the Home Office in February 2005 to make it more difficult for non-Europeans to win the right to stay in Britain by marrying. The ONS said it was unclear how the new rules had affected marriage figures. However, with regard to the sharp decline in the capital, its report said: 'Clearly the effect of the change in the law is one possible factor.' The long-term trend in marriage has been falling since 1973, the ONS said."
But my favourite finding is this:
"Separate ONS figures showed there were 18,000 civil partnerships between gay couples between their introduction December 2005 and December last year...The ONS said 10% of men and 24% of women entering a civil partnership had previously been married."
Seems the British may be even gayer than they thought.
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