Cameron humbled by gay marriage vote rebellion: More Tory MPs vote against Cameron than for him as PM's bill gets through thanks to Labour and Lib Dems

David Cameron suffered a humiliating reverse last night when more than half his MPs rejected his 11th-hour appeals for support for same-sex marriage.

On an extraordinary day in the Commons, 134 Tory MPs took advantage of a free vote to oppose the plans. Only 126 backed the legislation, with 35 abstaining.

But with the help of the majority of Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs Mr Cameron saw the measure passed easily, by a margin of 400 to 175. The first gay marriages are likely to be conducted within 12 months.

The standard bearer of the Tory Right, Iain Duncan Smith, voted in favour of same-sex unions, but the Government’s top lawyer, Dominic Grieve, astonished colleagues by abstaining.

A source close to Mr Grieve said: ‘He is a practising member of the Church of England and it has caused a lot of hurt and upset for the church.’ 

Cabinet ministers who voted against the measure included Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who told colleagues that ‘biddies don’t like botties’, and Welsh Secretary David Jones.

They were joined by Simon Burns, Esther McVey and John Hayes. 

Mr Cameron has been accused of needlessly splitting his party and prioritising an issue important to only a handful of voters. One poll suggests 70 per cent of voters now see the Tories as divided.

Despite the vote being deemed one of conscience, Tory MPs had been left in no doubt that the party leadership wanted as many as possible to vote in favour.

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/