Recently, I co-sponsored a bill that would bring marriage equality to Northern Ireland.

Labour MP Conor McGinn, who grew up in Northern Ireland, proposed the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Bill. My fellow co-sponsors on the bill are Conservative MP Nick Herbert and the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas.

The legislation would allow same-sex couples to get married and would bring the law in line with England, Wales and Scotland.

Delivering same-sex marriage in England is one of the proudest achievements of the Liberal Democrats’ time in coalition government - but sadly many couples in Northern Ireland are not allowed to marry the person they love.

I’d of course much rather that this decision was taken by local politicians in Belfast. It is worth noting that the Assembly, before the elections, had already voted in favour of this, but in the absence of a functioning Assembly, it is incumbent on Westminster to ensure that couples in Northern Ireland shouldn’t have to wait any longer than they have to.

I believe no-one said it better than Conor himself when he introduced the Bill. In his fantastic speech he told us:

"Attitudes have changed in Northern Ireland and on the island of Ireland. In the rural Armagh village of Camlough, sage advice and solace is to be found in the local hostelries of Doyle’s, Quinn’s and Trainors. There people will find the finest wines, ales and minds. For me, they have always been a good barometer of what the elusive man on the street thinks about the issues of the day. On a recent and, these days, rare visit, I chanced to encounter one of these wise men—a gruff, agricultural, straightforward south Armagh man. He said to me, 'Young McGinn, I see you are helping out the gays. Sure, I’m all for this gay marriage. They’re entitled to be as miserable as the rest of us'. Another asked, 'You see this equal marriage—will they be able to get equal divorce, too?' The point is that when they are making jokes about it, it is clearly accepted and part of the fabric of everyday life. The people understand this; it is the law that remains stuck in the past. LGBT people are the sons, daughters, brothers and sisters of our friends and neighbours. This matter is fundamentally about people and their rights.”

It is a real honour and a privilege to be sponsoring this legislation. It received cross-party support and I now hope the Government will support it and make sure it becomes law as quickly as possible so that everyone, in all parts of the United Kingdom, no matter where they live or who they love, can get married.