Wiltshire’s four MPs were totally divided in the House of Commons vote last night (Tuesday) on the controversial same sex marriage legislation.
Claire Perry, Tory MP for Devizes wasn’t present to vote, Duncan Hames, Lib-Dem MP for Chippenham voted in favour, and James Gray, Tory MP for Wiltshire North voted against.
The only Tory to vote in favour was Andrew Murrison, MP for Wiltshire South.
Mrs Perry, 48, married with three children, has given no indication of her reasons for not supporting the legislation either on her parliamentary website or to Marlborough News Online.
She has always been a totally committed supporter of the coalition government and there has been no known occasion when she has failed to vote in favour of legislation since the general election in 2010.
The difference this time was that it was a free vote, the Bill being given a majority of 400 votes to 175, more Conservative MPs voting against the legislation than for it, despite a last minute personal plea from David Cameron to back the new legislation.
Serious concern has been expressed both within and outside the Conservative Party that the same sex marriage legislation, which did not appear in the party’s election manifesto, would split it apart and cause the resignation of Tory stalwarts.
Marlborough News Online asked Mike Smith, chairman of the Devizes Conservative Association, on Monday for his opinion on the legislation and whether he personally supported it.
That followed the delegation of 20 Tory association chairman delivering a letter to David Cameron at No 10 Downing Street on Sunday expressing their opposition.
We asked Mr Smith too whether anyone in the local party, which includes Marlborough, had resigned over the issue. No response has been received.
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