Kirsty Wark brings together gay rights campaigners, politicians and journalists to recall the battle to introduce same-sex marriage in Britain, and hears from the then Prime Minister David Cameron about his struggles to gain support within the Conservative Party.

Up until 2010, same-sex marriage wasn’t on the political agenda in Britain, and lesbian and gay campaigners were divided over whether it was a good idea or not.

Many believed it lay at the heart of the patriarchal society which had curtailed women’s rights for decades, and wanted to abolish marriage not broaden it. Others remembered the bitter resentments caused by the infamous Section 28, brought in by Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1988, which effectively banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools and was only repealed in 2003.

On 29 March 2014, Peter McGraith and David Cabreza became the first same-sex couple to exchange their wedding vows, shortly after midnight, as the legislation came into force.

Joining Kirsty Wark are Peter Tatchell, the activist who campaigned for same sex marriage for many years; Lynne Featherstone, then the the Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister who fought for it to become government policy; Benjamin Cohen, the CEO of Pink News who led the Out 4 Marriage campaign; Malcolm Brown, Director of Mission and Public Affairs for the Church of England. and Nick Herbert, the Conservative MP who led the Freedom to Marry campaign.

Presenter: Kirsty Wark
Producer: Charlotte North
Series Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4 Show less