A senior Tory MP has called on Britain to ban marriages between cousins, citing concerns about birth defects and the structures used to control women.
Former government minister Richard Holden, MP for Basildon and Billericay, will introduce the Marriage (Prohibited Relationships) Bill to the House of Commons this week for further consideration.
British marriage law prohibits the state from consecrating some family relationships, such as siblings or parents and their children, but there is no law preventing cousins from marrying.
talk to telegraph paperMember of Parliament said: “People already think it's illegal, but then they're surprised when you say it's not.”
Holden said cousin marriages not only increase rates of birth defects, but can also be used as a means to “reinforce negative structures and control women.”
“Many countries and states have taken action on this issue in recent years, and it's time for us to do the same,” he said.
The Conservative politician also pointed out that marriages between cousins tend to be more common among certain minorities in the UK.
Patrick Nash, director of the Oxford-based Pharos Foundation Research Institute, said: said The rate of consanguinity, or marriage between close relatives, in the British-Pakistani community is said to be between 40 and 60 percent.
Although the trend appears to be on the decline, the relatively high rate of first-cousin marriages within Pakistani communities across the UK remains a cause for concern, compared to the national average of less than 1 per cent.
Nash noted that inbreeding is “associated with increased susceptibility to various cancers and infectious agents such as hepatitis.” Birth defects such as facial clefts and cardiovascular disease are more common. Increased risk of various mental illnesses such as mood disorders, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease. Rising infant mortality. and declines in IQ scores at the individual and national levels. ”
Responding to calls for a ban on cousin marriage in the UK, Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones said: 'To put restrictions on marriages between cousins, amendments to the Marriage Act 1949 and possibly the Sexual Offenses Act 2003 would be necessary. will be needed,” he said.
“We recognize that all aspects of weddings, including cousin marriages, are important issues. As a new government, we will seek advice from the Law Commission before publicly stating our position. We will take the time to properly consider the Marriage Act, including the 2022 Marriage Report.”
