VERSION|0.5.1|NAME|Steve|DATE|1360143111|CONTENT|Social change occurs slowly, not in one go. The vote last night changes nothing in terms of attitudes – in fact in the short term I suspect it has hardened them. But now that it is passed, society can restart the process it was on before, which is the increasing acceptance of differences in sexuality. The churches can mobilise their campaigns against a moment in time like this, but there is nothing whatsoever they can do to stop society’s drip-drip move away from their attitudes.

As has been said a few times, in twenty years’ time we’ll wonder what all the fuss was about. And some of the MPs who voted against might find themselves being mentioned alongside Enoch Powell. After all, he wasn’t a racist, he was only pointing out the effect immigration might have on society.|IP-ADDRESS|10.0.119.228, 217.36.222.79, 10.37.43.203|MODERATIONFLAG|