Murdo Fraser Holds Firm on Gay Marriage Stance Amid Scottish Tory Leadership Race

Murdo Fraser, a contender for the leadership of the Scottish Conservatives, has reiterated his opposition to same-sex marriage. Despite the Scottish Parliament's decisive approval of marriage equality for gay couples in 2014, Fraser was among the 18 Members of the Scottish Parliament who voted against it at that time.

Political journalist @fayebrownSky

Friday, August 23, 2024, 3:

A candidate for the Scottish Conservative leadership has reiterated his opposition to same-sex marriage, citing his religious convictions as the reason, a decade after he originally voted against it.

Speaking to Sky News, Murdo Fraser expressed that he has become "quite relaxed" regarding the topic of same-sex adoption, despite his earlier objections to it.

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Mr. Fraser, a Member of the Scottish Parliament, emphasized that individual religious convictions should not prevent someone from pursuing political office.

In 2014, the Scottish parliament decisively passed legislation permitting same-sex marriage.

At that moment, Mr. Fraser was among the 18 MSPs who voted against it, arguing that it might jeopardize the charitable status of religious organizations and service providers that do not acknowledge same-sex marriages.

Mr. Fraser expressed opposition to the adoption rights of same-sex couples, arguing in a 2006 debate that children require both male and female role models. He defended his stance by stating that those who hold these opinions should not be labeled as homophobes, extremists, or derogatively called 'religious fanatics'.

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"He emphasized that their legitimate worries should not be ignored or met with insults and mistreatment," he stated.

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Mr. Fraser shared with Sky News that he has altered his view and is now "quite comfortable" with the idea of same-sex adoption.

He mentioned that his stance against same-sex marriage remains unchanged due to his religious convictions.

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When questioned about negative comments from fellow Members of the Scottish Parliament who accuse him of being "stuck in the past," he responded, "The majority understand that it's acceptable for politicians to hold personal religious beliefs, and this shouldn't prevent them from running for office."

Mr. Fraser made his remarks following the kickoff of his bid to succeed Douglas Ross as the head of the Scottish Conservatives, competing against Russell Findlay and Meghan Gallacher for the leadership position.

The Daily Record initially covered the news, revealing that he appeared on stage alongside his fellow MSP, Jamie Greene, who is openly gay.

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Mr. Fraser informed the newspaper that despite having differences of opinion on certain matters, they were capable of collaborating within the same group.

Green MSP Maggie Chapman criticized Mr. Fraser's voting record as "exceptionally poor, even when compared to other Scottish Conservatives."

"She said he has resisted nearly all the progressive reforms our parliament has enacted and has attempted to obstruct every move toward equality."

"His insistence on this point only highlights that while Scotland may have evolved, Murdo Fraser seems to remain anchored in old ways."

This topic has often sparked debate in the political landscape of Scotland.

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In the previous year, the campaign for Kate Forbes to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as leader faltered after the then-Scottish finance secretary revealed that, had she been in office when it became law, she would have opposed the legalization of gay marriage.

She later explained to Sky News that her beliefs as a member of the Free Church of Scotland dictate that having children outside of marriage is "wrong" and something she personally strives to "avoid".

She also resisted her party’s since-defunct legislation on gender issues and did not fully endorse a total ban on all types of conversion therapy.

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Despite her claims of being progressive and believing that people should "do what they want in a free society", an examination of her views resulted in a loss of support from many of her colleagues, and she eventually finished second to Humza Yousaf.

A year after Mr. Yousaf stepped down, she did not pursue his position; instead, she was appointed deputy first minister by his successor, John Swinney.

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