Same-sex marriage ban challenged

Three London couples today launched their legal bid at the European Court of Human Rights to overturn the "discriminatory" twin bans on same-sex marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships.

They were among eight same-sex and heterosexual couples who have been turned away from register offices after trying to formalise their relationships in the last two months.

The 2004 Civil Partnership Act does not allow heterosexual couples to have a civil partnership, which gives same-sex couples rights and responsibilities comparable with civil marriage, or same-sex couples to get married.

Campaigner Peter Tatchell started the Equal Love scheme to end "sexual orientation discrimination" in marriage and civil partnership law. He claims the ban on gay marriages is a breach of the Human Rights Act.

Tom Freeman and Katherine Doyle, both 26, joined the campaign last month after being refused a civil partnership at an Islington register office. Lesbian couple, the Rev Sharon Ferguson, 52, and Franka Strietzel, 49, are also taking action after Greenwich register office refused them a civil licence.

They joined heterosexual Stephanie Munro and Andrew O'Neill, who unsuccessfully applied for a civil partnership at Camden Town Hall on December 8, and five other pairs to challenge the law.