Legislation to ban 1st Cousin Marriage

[VisitationRights]

Just saw this, Richard Holden has introduced legislation to ban 1st cousin marriage:
https://x.com/RicHolden/status/1865770931588612234

I think it is about time but wondering if the proposed legislation is likely to be supported or not.

There was a huge thread about this the other day, I'll try and link it

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5225512-when-did-marrying-a-cousin-become-socially-unacceptable?latest=0

Thank you! I did a search before posting but only came up with old threads. I will head over to read it. Much appreciated.

I read the other thread but didn't know there was proposed legislation. I think this is a good move but could be an issue for some communities.

I thought it was already illegal 🤷‍♀️

"Two Tier" Starmer will ensure it doesn't apply to "those" communities but will apply to everyone else. Or at least it won't be enforced in those communities!

Wasn't there an AMA recently by someone in a relationship with their cousin?

If only the two tier title were realistic.

Halle bloody lujah

Nope

I have cousins (first cousins to each other) who married and had children.
It was odd for all of us.
Then they divorced (very acrimoniosly)- police involvement and everything- and it lit a nuclear bomb under the family and nothing has been the same since. It's absolutely fucked!

I think that what may happen is that in communities where this is common there will still be religious marriage to cousins but not the legal UK marriage. This will put women in these "marriages" in even more precarious positions.

Exactly. I come across Women sometimes who believe that they are in a legal marriage only to find out that they are not and as a result have nothing.

They also need to change the law in cohabiting and assets and looking into making marriages at Mosques legal.

Exactly it won’t even make a difference.

Same reason there are people in this country with multiple “wives”. Bigamy is illegal but it just applied to civil marriage, does not apply to Islamic/Hindu/Sikh/Pagan hand fasting marriages.

He can’t anyway.

The state can only control civil marriage. It can’t control religious marriages for the same reason it can’t stop me having a Druid perform a hand fasting ceremony with me, my cat and 3 boyfriends.

The only way to make it illegal would be amending the incest law to include cousins.

The only way to make it illegal would be amending the incest law to include cousins.

Someone thought of that, I think they have in mind to do that.

Double a small risk is still a small number.

I personally doubt Richard Holden's motives; I think he's dog whistling for his constituents in a very white seat.

How can anyone defend a practice that leads to double the levels of genetic disorders and recessive disorders.

It's barbaric to make inflict this on innocent babies and children.

Yes he needs to extend the incest law to cover cousins then.
If the ban is limited to 'marriage' it would not cover religious marriage that isnt registered in the UK legally.
Even so, how would the registry office know? A person could just deny that their wife was a cousin when questioned.
Would a DNA test be mandatory?

The 1st cousin marriage i am aware of, not from a culture where it is typical, the couple chose not to have children. They are still happily married 25 years on and best of luck to them. They're lovely people.

MP Mohammed Iqbal argued against the ban saying it’s “highly sensitive”.

he can fuck off. It’s completely irresponsible and harmful to children.

It doesn’t matter who raised it. It’s needs to be talked about. It’s horrible that so many children are being born with physical and mental disabilities because of it.

Independent MP Iqbal Mohammed standing up in the HP stating that it was unnecessary and unenforceable and that it needs cultural shift not a change in legislation - shows how out and of control this has got.

There will not be a cultural shift because the Muslim communities are allowed to keep themselves isolated and any criticism is seen as Islamophobia. Yet we are expected to pick up the financial cost of these children which will need life long care. Pakistani children have 13% higher chance of being born with disabilities than other children. 700 children are born with disabilities due to cousin marriages. 1 in 10 children of cousin marriages will die at birth or have life long medical difficulties - Many of these kids will not see their teens.

Not only that - a Muslim man can claim benefits for up to 4 wives. So whilst Bigamy is illegal in the U.K. - if the marriage takes place abroad - which is predominantly to cousins - they are allowed to claim for them back in the U.K. under polygamous marriage. This is in the DWP website.

Its got to stop.

I’d ask to look at what’s being claimed at the DWP. The government now recognises polygamous marriages.

Bigamy through the back door

I agree that the only way is to amend the incest law.

If it is only marriage then technically a brother and sister or father and daughter could marry but simply deny at the registry office that they are related.

Either way it looks like the law will not be changed under the Labour Government:

"Downing Street said the expert advice on the risks of first-cousin marriage was clear but indicated that the government had no plans to change the law. "

Which seems strange when considering it just from a monetary perspective then it would save the NHS millions in addition to inflicting horrific disorder and early death on innocent babies and children!

Ffs. Any thing for votes!