A proposal to introduce same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland has fallen at the first hurdle when put to the vote today.
When the Stormont Assembly members voted, the motion was rejected by 53 votes to 42,a wider margin than when a similar motion was tabled last October. It attracted support from Nationalist and non-sectarian parties but significant opposition from Unionist parties.
A blocking measure by the DUP ensured that even if it had passed the measure would have been prevented from progressing. The DUP invoked rules which demand measures have attracted minimum levels of support from both Nationalist and Unionist assembly members.
