Holyrood has pipped the Commons to the post by announcing plans to introduce a bill to perform same-sex marriages ahead of Northern Ireland, England and Wales. The Scottish Government intends to go ahead with the Bill despite opposition from religious groups and calls for a referendum by the Catholic Church of Scotland.
If introduced, same sex couples could be tying the knot in Scotland by 2014 and this will have repercussions over the border, as English couples will be able to marry in Scotland. This could bring about the return of couples “eloping” to Gretna Green for their nuptials. Westminster would then have to decide whether to recognise Scottish same-sex weddings in England and Wales.