The senior Conservative MP said the issue of marriage for homosexual couples
is an obsession of the "metropolitan elite" rather than ordinary
people.
He also urged the Government to concentrate on the economy, rather than the "contentious
issue" of same-sex marriage .
Dr Fox's comments are the latest sign that plans to allow homosexual couples
to marry is causing tension within the Coalition.
It is strongly backed by the Liberal Democrats but opposed by several
high-profile Conservatives, including Owen Paterson, the Northern Ireland
Secretary, and Gerald Howarth, a defence minister.
Dr Fox, who resigned last year over a lobbying scandal, said the issue of
same-sex marriage should not be a major concern of the Government.Asked whether he supported the Coalition's plans, Dr Fox told Sky News: “This is a contentious issue but I have to say that I am much more in favour of social mobility than social engineering.
“I think that the vast majority of the public have a completely different set
of priorities from what I would call the metropolitan elite and I think they
will be looking for economic and social issues to be dealt with first.”
His comments come as a major Conservative donor, Michael Farmer, reportedly joined the campaign against same-sex marriage.
David Cameron has spoken out in support of same-sex marriage, but he has struggled to win support from some quarters of his party.
It has also drawn criticism from senior figures in the church, including Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Cantebury and John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York.
However, the policy is a key aim of the Liberal Democrats. Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, believes MPs should be ordered to vote with the Government in favour of same-sex marriage.
The Conservatives are now likely to offer a free vote, allowing rebels to reject the idea as a matter of "conscience".
A poll last week found one in four gay people think there is “no need” to allow same-sex couples to marry because civil partnerships give them the same rights.
Three-quarters of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people supported same-sex marriage in principle.
This moral high ground coming from another self loathing closeted conservative homo..sound familiar?
Mr. Fox, are we truly to believe that the multitude of all potential legislation that pours through said Government, homosexual marriage is the only one that is holding back progress in economic and social issues?
Least anyone forgets...
Burglary victim
Fox was the victim of a burglary at his London flat in April 2010. A laptop computer, a mobile phone and his car were stolen. The car was later found abandoned. Police arrested six people and a 17-year-old from Bermondsey, South London, was convicted of burglary. It was later discovered that the media had misreported that Fox had been alone in the flat during the burglary, when he later commented that a younger male friend, but not Adam Werrity, had been sleeping there. Fox also commented that this was consistent with what he had informed police of in his statement
And this little treasure we all know and love...
Adam Werritty
During October 2011 Fox's relationship with a close friend Adam Werritty attracted extensive media attention and eventually led to Fox's resignation. Werrity, some 17 years younger than Fox, had been best man at his wedding, had lived rent-free in Fox's flat, and been involved with him in business and in the conservative Atlanticist think-tank The Atlantic Bridge. While Fox was Defense Minister, Werrity had visited Fox at the Ministry of Defense on many occasions, had accompanied Fox on numerous official trips, attended some of his meetings with foreign dignitaries, and had used official-looking business cards which said he was an "adviser"[sic] to Fox, all despite having no government post. The media raised questions about Fox's judgment in allowing this to happen, the nature of the men's relationship, and the source of Werrity's income.
In response, Fox initially requested Ursula Brennan, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defense, to investigate his connection with Werrity. On Sunday 9 October 2011, in advance of Brennan's initial report of the result of her inquiry to the Prime Minister, Fox made a statement apologizing publicly for his conduct in relation to Werrity, denying wrongdoing but admitting errors of judgment in mixing his professional and personal loyalties. The inquiry was escalated and Fox resigned in advance of publication of the full report.
The full list of Fox's meetings for his time in office to date, 20 May 2010 to 8 October 2011, was published by the MoD after 7 pm on 10 October 2011 and revealed that Werrity was present at 40 of Fox's 70 engagements in that period (57%).
In 2005–6, Fox used public money, from his expense claims as an MP, to pay Adam Werritty.
His comments come as a major Conservative donor, Michael Farmer, reportedly joined the campaign against same-sex marriage.
David Cameron has spoken out in support of same-sex marriage, but he has struggled to win support from some quarters of his party.
It has also drawn criticism from senior figures in the church, including Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Cantebury and John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York.
However, the policy is a key aim of the Liberal Democrats. Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, believes MPs should be ordered to vote with the Government in favour of same-sex marriage.
The Conservatives are now likely to offer a free vote, allowing rebels to reject the idea as a matter of "conscience".
A poll last week found one in four gay people think there is “no need” to allow same-sex couples to marry because civil partnerships give them the same rights.
Three-quarters of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people supported same-sex marriage in principle.
This moral high ground coming from another self loathing closeted conservative homo..sound familiar?
Mr. Fox, are we truly to believe that the multitude of all potential legislation that pours through said Government, homosexual marriage is the only one that is holding back progress in economic and social issues?
Least anyone forgets...
Burglary victim
Fox was the victim of a burglary at his London flat in April 2010. A laptop computer, a mobile phone and his car were stolen. The car was later found abandoned. Police arrested six people and a 17-year-old from Bermondsey, South London, was convicted of burglary. It was later discovered that the media had misreported that Fox had been alone in the flat during the burglary, when he later commented that a younger male friend, but not Adam Werrity, had been sleeping there. Fox also commented that this was consistent with what he had informed police of in his statement
And this little treasure we all know and love...
Adam Werritty
During October 2011 Fox's relationship with a close friend Adam Werritty attracted extensive media attention and eventually led to Fox's resignation. Werrity, some 17 years younger than Fox, had been best man at his wedding, had lived rent-free in Fox's flat, and been involved with him in business and in the conservative Atlanticist think-tank The Atlantic Bridge. While Fox was Defense Minister, Werrity had visited Fox at the Ministry of Defense on many occasions, had accompanied Fox on numerous official trips, attended some of his meetings with foreign dignitaries, and had used official-looking business cards which said he was an "adviser"[sic] to Fox, all despite having no government post. The media raised questions about Fox's judgment in allowing this to happen, the nature of the men's relationship, and the source of Werrity's income.
In response, Fox initially requested Ursula Brennan, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defense, to investigate his connection with Werrity. On Sunday 9 October 2011, in advance of Brennan's initial report of the result of her inquiry to the Prime Minister, Fox made a statement apologizing publicly for his conduct in relation to Werrity, denying wrongdoing but admitting errors of judgment in mixing his professional and personal loyalties. The inquiry was escalated and Fox resigned in advance of publication of the full report.
The full list of Fox's meetings for his time in office to date, 20 May 2010 to 8 October 2011, was published by the MoD after 7 pm on 10 October 2011 and revealed that Werrity was present at 40 of Fox's 70 engagements in that period (57%).
In 2005–6, Fox used public money, from his expense claims as an MP, to pay Adam Werritty.
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