A former Conservative minister and an independent Muslim member of parliament (MP) sparked debates on cousin marriage in the United Kingdom after the MP opposed the former minister’s proposals to ban first-cousin marriages in the country.
This is absurd pic.twitter.com/FuG79YhOgw
— Fleur Elizabeth (@fleurmeston) December 10, 2024
Richard Holden, who previously served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Roads and Local Transport from 2022 to 2023 under the Conservative government, introduced the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill during the 10-minute rule process, which allows a backbench MP to make a case for a new bill in a speech of up to 10 minutes in the House of Commons.
However, bills passed through this process rarely become law without government support because of the limited parliamentary time allotted. Under current legislation, marriages to a parent, sibling, or child are prohibited, but not between first cousins.
The MP for Basildon and Billericay said that while the overall prevalence of first-cousin marriages is low in Western countries, certain diaspora communities, such as British Pakistanis and Irish Travellers, have "extremely high rates of first-cousin marriage" of around 20-40%.
He’s not conducive to the UKs interests and should be removed as an MP?
— Rayner & Starmer_Thick as a Llama (@gerry_gee74257) December 11, 2024
Holden also cited research suggesting that children of first cousins carry around double the risk of inheriting a serious disorder compared to children of unrelated people. He also argued that first-cousin marriages "reinforce negative structures and control women.”
"Women and girls living under a clan mentality often know the scientific risks of first-cousin marriage but make considered social and cultural calculations," Holden told MPs.
"Strict honor codes, where expressions of individuality can be subject to social isolation, violence, and even death in some cases, dominate thinking," he added.
Holden also argued the practice is "not really conducive to modern British society", adding that “it's about more than one marriage. It's about the values and foundations of our society and our democracy."
Unfortunately their is only one culture that needs to be tended to. That's the Great British culture
You have to integrate into our society or simply put leave.— Alex Reeves (@ARTCommentry) December 10, 2024
Independent MP Iqbal Mohamed of Dewsbury and Batley agreed there were health risks associated with first-cousin marriages, and forced marriages must be prevented. However, Mohamed said that while the "freedom of women must be protected at all times", he did not believe that outlawing such practice would be "effective or enforceable.”
"Instead, the matter needs to be approached as a health awareness issue, a cultural issue where women are being forced against their will to undergo marriage," Mohamed said.
Mohamed also added that "instead of stigmatizing those in cousin marriages or those inclined to be, a much more positive approach would be to facilitate advanced genetic test screening for prospective married couples, as is the case in all Arab countries in the Persian Gulf, and more generally to run health education programs targeting those communities where the practice is most common."
Their Religion comes before all else with these people.
They should not be in positions of power or influence for that reason.— Sir Harry Hotspur (@HarryHotspurFC) December 10, 2024
Downing Street said the expert advice on first-cousin marriage was clear but indicated there were no plans to change the law.
"In terms of legislation, the government has set out its priorities," a spokesperson for Downing Street has said.
