Gay marriage bill 'out of step with core values'

Plans to legalise same-sex marriage in England and Wales return to the Commons later, amid continuing opposition from some Conservative activists and MPs.

The Marriage Bill was approved by a 225-vote majority when it was last debated by MPs in February, but nearly half of all Tories voted against it.

One of the amendments tabled for debate involves extending civil partnerships to heterosexual couples.

On Sunday, 34 current and former local party chairmen delivered a letter to Downing Street opposing the gay marriage policy as "flawed, un-Conservative, divisive and costing us dearly in votes and membership".

One of them was Councillor Mary Douglas, a Conservative on Wiltshire Council, who told BBC Breakfast: "This policy is way out of step with our core values".