'Good thing to extend marriage to more people'

Some senior Conservative ministers have made a late appeal to party MPs to drop any opposition to plans to allow gay marriage in England and Wales.

It comes ahead of a Commons vote on the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.

MPs will have a free vote on the issue, meaning they will not be ordered to vote for or against by party whips

Culture Secretary Maria Miller said it was a "good thing" to extend marriage to more people.