Same sex marriage in Northern Ireland… finally?

The House of Commons last week voted in favour of permitting same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland with 383 MPs voting in favour and 73 against the proposed change. Northern Ireland is the only remaining part of the UK that does not permit same-sex marriage; the law was changed in England & Wales in July 2013 and the changes came into force in March 2014. In Scotland the law was changed in February 2014 and came into force in December of the same year. The Republic of Ireland has allowed same-sex marriage since May 2015 following a referendum making it the only country in the world to make the change to the law by a public vote.

However in the case of Northern Ireland the constitutional background to the vote itself and how this affects the next steps for same-sex marriage there should not be overlooked; the vote and its outcome have wider political significance.

The question of same sex marriage would ordinarily be a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly as it is covered by devolved power. Yet the collapse of the power-sharing...

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