Sad Time for “Little Britain” Matt Lucas
Matt Lucas, star of the controversial comedy show Little Britain, wants to dissolve his homosexual civil partnership after only 18 months. I heard him speak in a radio interview about the happiness he had found with his partner.
I am sure what is a news story to us is a heart-break to him. As his civil partnership was high profile, so the break-up will be.
The rules are very similar to divorce with parties entitled to seek financial support from each other. As Mr Lucas is wealthy, having a reported fortune of £15, the financial deal will hit the headlines. If their civil partnership break-up is treated exactly the same as a marriage break-up Mr Lucas could be forced to make a large pay out to his civil partner, Kevin McGee.
This could be a test case setting a precedent in law. Many more will follow as homosexual partnerships, on average, only last about 18 months.
Alan Kaufman, head of family law at Finers Stephens Innocent, told The Daily Telegraph: “At the moment we simply don’t know whether a judge will look at a civil partnership in exactly the same way as a husband and wife in a heterosexual relationship. It will be fascinating to see how the courts deal with it.”
See the Christian Institute’s briefing paper on Civil Partnerships.
I wish him well and pray he finds the wholeness he seeks.
Timothy Barton said:
I assume you mean £15 million?
graham said:
Whoops! Thanks Tim, yes I meant £15 million.
John said:
He might have £15m but he’s still a poor fellow.
graham said:
Yes, we all want to be loved. That is why the gospel of Jesus Christ has won so many over the centuries. I don’t begrudge Mr Lucas’s attempts to find love and companionship.
However this does shed some light on why Civil Partnerships should not be equated with marriages. They are not marriages, not “till death us do part”, nor are the vows made declaring them to be exclusive, “forsaking all others..”
This is why I find the thought of adoption of children by gay or lesbian partnerships worrying. Statistically they don’t last as long as traditional marriages, despite the rising divorce rates.