Hooray ! At last Civil partnerships for heterosexual couples. So what are those who don't believe in marriage going to make of that.

[Fontofnoknowledge]

Just seen this is going to come into law. AIBU thinking that all those (mostly but not exclusively) men , who 'don't believe in marriage ' - will now have to think of another excuse to keep their assets from their partners ..

I saw that and thought the same.

Ha ha! Yes I think there will be a few uncomfortable conversations!
I actually think it's a shame and misses the point.
From what I understood civil partnerships were a disappointment to those campaigning for full equality for same sex couples. I think they should have abolished CP'S then equality would have been achieved.

Good. I know that they had unfortunate roots, but I think they are a very useful legal tool.

'I think they should have abolished CP'S then equality would have been achieved.'

What about the many thousands of couples of have CPs, and continue to choose CP over marriage?

You're right Gerda, CPs in this country do have unpleasant roots, but this is undoubtedly a good thing. If marriage is for you, then this won't affect you at all.

I don’t think it’ll have that much of an impact tbh.

There’s obviously a lot of posters here which feel v strongly that marriage isn’t for them due to ideological reasons, which is fair enough. But this isn’t reflected in my social circle- of the six or so unmarried couples with kids that I know, 5 of them are engaged. They obviously have no objection to the institution of marriage, they just for whatever reason (usually financial) haven’t made actually getting married a priority.

I think the next “excuse” for those wanting to protect their assets will be a new found objection to the homophobic roots of civil partnerships. Or the old “it’s just a piece of paper” still works!

Haha, snap! I thought exactly the same as you, OP. I very much doubt it will lead to better protection for women who stop working after having DC with a partner they're not married to, because said partner will find another excuse not to commit legally.

It's still "just a piece of paper"

Or they'll have something about the homophobic origins of CPs. I'm more surprised that they didn't just scrap them altogether.

I thought those campaigning for equality wanted marriage for same sex couples and that CP'S were invented so David Cameron could get something through parliament because MP's in his own party didn't want marriage to be available to them.
Anyway, if people prefer them that's fine, but I would have preferred same sex couples to be allowed to have equality in the first place.

Yes, I thought that too. It would have been far easier to abolish civil partnerships. I bet a lot of men are now squirming and trying to figure out what their excuse is going to be now.

I probably would have chosen a CP over marriage if this was an option 5 years ago.

I know they were divisive but now they can be that "Commonlaw" thing so many people have always believed exist!

A simple bit of paper, not a fluffy wedding for ANY couple. Just as ANY couple can have a full on wedding!

Me too Bluelady

Not that after 30 years of marriage I regret it, but a commonlaw/civil partnership would have been more in line with how we both think!

It's good news as far as I'm concerned - we've been together for 20 years and have kids and have never wanted to marry (largely me never wanting to, to be honest - certainly not the case of the man not believing in marriage and wanting to keep assets from me, as the original poster said!) but have thinking of doing so for inheritance tax purposes (so the surviving partner doesn't have to sell the house to pay the IHT bill), but would MUCH rather enter into a civil partnership. i think we might do this.

Haha you cynic OP!

I tend to think it's not going to make that much difference though. As I've said before, the number of people who are selective about the historical homophobia and sexism they approve of haven't married because they want CP is probably pretty small compared to those who haven't formalised their relationship because they don't realise how it would benefit them and/or they haven't got round to it.

I know they were divisive but now they can be that "Commonlaw" thing so many people have always believed exist!

They won't be. CP is something quite different, even in societies where common law partner does have legal status.

Civil partnerships don't offer the same legal status or protections as marriage though, how long before someone falls for the argument that they do...

They mostly do. I believe there are a few old pension schemes that give less favourable treatment to a surviving civil partner than a spouse though, so I wouldn't want anyone to fall foul of that without realising.

A CP is nowhere near as 'good' as a marriage in terms the benefits it offers - Personally, I don't like the idea of a 2 tier 'marriage' system.

Or the old “it’s just a piece of paper” still works!

That’s' what I though or like DSIS ex really long engagements that never lead anywhere.

Funny birth certificates and children's surnames never seem to just be pieces of paper or unwanted traditions.

People like Luisa77 think they will never die suddenly and then we have to deal with families who can’t afford the tax bill, then they have to move out of the area to a cheaper town and no longer have friends close at a difficult time, and the children are uprooted and have to leave all their school friends and clubs...

Just do it . Marriage or civil partnership. All of those ‘endlessly engaged’ sign that paper and spend the next 8 years saving for a big blowout ‘marriage blessing’ or whatever.

It gets so messy.

Its just a bit of paper?

Ok, then how about you hand me all the notes in your wallet? The deeds to your house? I'll have your passport too while you're at it...

Nobbish argument always made by nobs.

Luisa, why do you think entering a civil partnership will be easier than entering a marriage? Genuine question, btw, no goadiness.

They won't be. CP is something quite different, even in societies where common law partner does have legal status. I know that. Which is why I said the 'can be' rather than stating that they are!

As for pension schemes exceptions etc, yes, but that is something to be changed now that the first step has been taken into making CP a universally available legal status, just as they had to be in same sex marriages.

If they become popular enough then they will evolve legally. If they aren't they won't! So the people who want them will continue to drive change!

Dismissing them because they are not instantly everything to everyone is akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater!

As Civil Partnerships were based on marriage when they were created, doesn’t that just mean they are loaded with the patriarchial baggage of marriage PLUS a dash of homophobia which caused their creation in the first place?

Also- I know that adultery isn’t grounds for dissolution of a CP. Can someone explain to me the implications of this for a partner who discovers an affair and wants to end the relationship?

@CuriousaboutSamphire so fight to make a CP the same in every way as a legal, secular, non religious marriage (currently available) what's the point in having both? I agree with PPs that it would've been better to abolish CPs

That's one of those urban myths. dinosaukisses

Adultery is a reason to dissolve a partnership, but it is part of Unreasonable Behaviur rathe rthan a separate reason on its own

Unreasonable behaviour
Your partner has behaved so badly that you can no longer bear to live with them.
This could include:
physical or mental cruelty
verbal or physical abuse
being irresponsible with money
being sexually unfaithful

www.gov.uk/end-civil-partnership/grounds-for-ending-a-civil-partnership