Richard Holden has launched a scathing attack on Labour for failing to “face the issue” of cousin marriage in Britain after blocking a second reading on its ban.
Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Transport Secretary expressed his frustration at the reading of the bill being delayed “until at least the King’s Speech”, expected to take place in May.
Mr Holden accused the Government of “turning a blind eye” after today’s scheduled second reading vote was blocked.
Hitting out at the move further, Mr Holden told GB News: “So there’s three real concerns really, one is that obviously there’s the health implications of it, but also the fact that it is quite clear to me that especially when it goes on from generation to generation to generation, we’re also seeing almost clan structures being formed, and people unable to get out of them.
“And it’s pretty clear that the impact that it has on individual freedom is also really strong, too. So I think right across the board, this is not something that we want to see widespread in this country.”
Reiterating why he put The Marriages (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill forward in the first place, the Tory MP said: “Well, it’s something that I just think that we need to see the Government take some action on, which is why I put the legislation forwards.
“They’re not allowing any more Fridays for Private Members’ Bills at the moment, so it looks like it’s going to be at least after the King’s Speech before we can start this fight in Parliament again.”
As host Alex Armstrong argued that it appears Labour “doesn’t want to lose voters” in areas such as Bradford, where consanguineous marriage rates stood at 46 per cent among British Pakistanis.
Richard Holden has hit out at Keir Starmer for delaying legislation which would ban cousin marriage, declaring they are ‘failing to face the issue’
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GB NEWS / PA
Agreeing with Alex, Mr Holden said: “I think there’s definitely a real issue here. I think the truth is that there is a real divide in Labour on this.
“There’s some people who know it’s the right thing to do to, to ban it. But I think the, the political masters overall are basically saying, no, we can’t touch this.”
He added: “When I introduced it in the House of Commons, I had one of the Independent MPs fighting against it, speaking against it in Parliament.
“I think the last thing Labour want is to to actually have to face this issue down. But I’ll tell you now, if we don’t face this issue down, we don’t get it sorted out, actually, we’ll just perpetuate the problems.
Sir Keir Starmer rejected Richard Holden’s request to back a vote in a heated exchange at PMQs | PA
“And I want to see these problems solved, I want to see problems sorted. And it’s quite clear that this Bovernment just isn’t up to doing that.”
He told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer: “If you don’t back first-cousin marriage, you can just say so. But Labour do back first cousin marriage and they’re trying to hide their secretive support for the practice.
“It is an issue bound up with serious health implications, closed communities, and the isolation of the vulnerable.”
He added: “I am appalled, but sadly not surprised, that Labour is once again turning a blind eye to the issue.
Mr Holden told GB News that he might not be able to fight for his bill again until after the King’s Speech, expected in May
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GB NEWS
“Allowing it to be kicked into the long grass rather than taking a genuine stand or even explaining why they continue to back first-cousin marriage in the UK.”
The legislation was due to return to the House of Commons for its second reading today, having initially been scheduled for January 17 last year.
However, following Labour’s block on the reading, no legislative progress has been made in 395 days.
Mr Holden could be forced to reintroduce the proposed ban from scratch to kickstart the legislative process again in Parliament’s next session.
GB News has approached the Labour Party for comment.