The Government will study proposals for reform to wedding law. (Image: PA Photo/iStock)
First cousins should be banned from marrying to lower the risk of birth defects and stop women being controlled against their will, former Conservative party chairman Richard Holden will tell Parliament this week.
The Government says this is an “important issue” and has pledged to examine the nation’s marriage laws before setting out its position.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
I'm A Celeb's Richard Coles admits he lied to church about relationship with husband David
25 Comments
No woke bandwagon can cancel Band Aid
12 Comments
'Sick kids will pay price!' Labour's disastrous NI hike to cripple children's hospices
206 Comments
State Pensioners could be due annual income top-up of nearly ￡4,000
2 Comments
The incredible city that wants to give its workers three days off to 'boost fertility'
4 Comments
The assisted dying bill must include Parkinson's patients like me - Sir Nicholas Mostyn
18 Comments
BBC's tokenistic act shows it isn't serious about change for us TV licence payers
20 Comments
Petition demanding fireworks ban to be debated this week after 'communities terrorised'
88 Comments
'Real reason' why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will refuse to leave US
66 Comments
Britain 'must rescue it's lost boys' or 'watch them fill our prisons'
204 Comments
Hospice bosses demand bank fines are used to ease ￡100m deficit crisis
Comments
BBC has shown it doesn't care about the destruction of women's sport
18 Comments
Princess Kate makes huge decision about Christmas plans after gruelling cancer battle
10 Comments
Merry Christmas? Not if woke warriors and their Puritanical fun police have their way
22 Comments
Prince Andrew's 'perfect excuse' to miss Christmas celebrations at Sandringham
97 Comments
Keir Starmer must do these four things - the future of Britain depends upon them
95 Comments
Rarely-seen member of the Royal Family sets hearts racing as he joins Princess Kate
25 Comments
Being labelled 'autistic' aged 14 saved my life
Comments
The country that's at risk of 'disappearing from Earth'
4 Comments
Parents of disabled children face over ￡20,000 annual income loss, study reveals
10 Comments
I'm A Celeb's Richard Coles admits he lied to church about relationship with husband David
25 Comments
No woke bandwagon can cancel Band Aid
12 Comments
'Sick kids will pay price!' Labour's disastrous NI hike to cripple children's hospices
206 Comments
State Pensioners could be due annual income top-up of nearly ￡4,000
2 Comments
The incredible city that wants to give its workers three days off to 'boost fertility'
4 Comments
The assisted dying bill must include Parkinson's patients like me - Sir Nicholas Mostyn
18 Comments
BBC's tokenistic act shows it isn't serious about change for us TV licence payers
20 Comments
Petition demanding fireworks ban to be debated this week after 'communities terrorised'
88 Comments
'Real reason' why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will refuse to leave US
66 Comments
Britain 'must rescue it's lost boys' or 'watch them fill our prisons'
204 Comments
Hospice bosses demand bank fines are used to ease ￡100m deficit crisis
Comments
BBC has shown it doesn't care about the destruction of women's sport
18 Comments
Princess Kate makes huge decision about Christmas plans after gruelling cancer battle
10 Comments
Merry Christmas? Not if woke warriors and their Puritanical fun police have their way
22 Comments
Prince Andrew's 'perfect excuse' to miss Christmas celebrations at Sandringham
97 Comments
Keir Starmer must do these four things - the future of Britain depends upon them
95 Comments
Rarely-seen member of the Royal Family sets hearts racing as he joins Princess Kate
25 Comments
Being labelled 'autistic' aged 14 saved my life
Comments
The country that's at risk of 'disappearing from Earth'
4 Comments
Parents of disabled children face over ￡20,000 annual income loss, study reveals
10 Comments
I'm A Celeb's Richard Coles admits he lied to church about relationship with husband David
25 Comments
No woke bandwagon can cancel Band Aid
12 Comments
'Sick kids will pay price!' Labour's disastrous NI hike to cripple children's hospices
206 Comments
State Pensioners could be due annual income top-up of nearly ￡4,000
2 Comments
The incredible city that wants to give its workers three days off to 'boost fertility'
4 Comments
The assisted dying bill must include Parkinson's patients like me - Sir Nicholas Mostyn
18 Comments
BBC's tokenistic act shows it isn't serious about change for us TV licence payers
20 Comments
Mr Holden will propose changes to the law on Tuesday in the latest bid to stop close cousins from marrying.
Norway this year banned marriages between close relatives with the goal of “goal of preventing forced marriages and negative social control”.
The US state of Tennessee has also banned cousin marriage, and Sweden and Denmark are expected to clamp down on the practice.
READ MORE: The country finally bringing in law banning locals from marrying children
Mr Holden – who took a prominent role in successful campaigns to ban “virginity testing” and a surgical procedure so women appear to be virgins. said: “First cousin marriage raises serious concerns both in the UK and globally. Studies show that it is associated with approximately double the rate of birth defects compared to the general population and can reinforce negative structures and control women.
“Building on my previous work to ban hymenoplasty and so-called virginity testing in the last Parliament, I will urge the Government to reconsider the legality of first-cousin marriage in the UK. Many nations and states have taken action on this issue in recent years and it is time for us to do the same.”
Patrick Nash, a legal academic and director of the Pharos Foundation, said a ban on cousin marriages would be a “sensible and proportionate measure” to address public health concerns and tackle “honour violence associated with blood-related clans”.
He said this has “nothing to do with race or religion, and many countries around the world already have such laws,” adding: “It is high time the United Kingdom joined them, and I hope the Government has the courage to act decisively.”
Don't miss...
High divorce costs have forced marries couples to work on their relationships [LATEST]
The event that sent Camilla 'over the edge' and forced Charles to propose [INSIGHT]
Perpetrators of child marriage will no longer get away with it [REPORT]
Trending
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
But Sarah Norcross, director of the Progress Educational Trust (PET), said: “Parliament should not be considering banning first cousin marriage. Some people argue that there should be a ban because they are worried about the health of the children born from such marriages.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
I'm A Celeb's Richard Coles admits he lied to church about relationship with husband David
25 Comments
No woke bandwagon can cancel Band Aid
12 Comments
'Sick kids will pay price!' Labour's disastrous NI hike to cripple children's hospices
206 Comments
State Pensioners could be due annual income top-up of nearly ￡4,000
2 Comments
The incredible city that wants to give its workers three days off to 'boost fertility'
4 Comments
The assisted dying bill must include Parkinson's patients like me - Sir Nicholas Mostyn
18 Comments
BBC's tokenistic act shows it isn't serious about change for us TV licence payers
20 Comments
Petition demanding fireworks ban to be debated this week after 'communities terrorised'
88 Comments
'Real reason' why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will refuse to leave US
66 Comments
Britain 'must rescue it's lost boys' or 'watch them fill our prisons'
204 Comments
Hospice bosses demand bank fines are used to ease ￡100m deficit crisis
Comments
BBC has shown it doesn't care about the destruction of women's sport
18 Comments
Princess Kate makes huge decision about Christmas plans after gruelling cancer battle
10 Comments
Merry Christmas? Not if woke warriors and their Puritanical fun police have their way
22 Comments
Prince Andrew's 'perfect excuse' to miss Christmas celebrations at Sandringham
97 Comments
Keir Starmer must do these four things - the future of Britain depends upon them
95 Comments
Rarely-seen member of the Royal Family sets hearts racing as he joins Princess Kate
25 Comments
Being labelled 'autistic' aged 14 saved my life
Comments
The country that's at risk of 'disappearing from Earth'
4 Comments
Parents of disabled children face over ￡20,000 annual income loss, study reveals
10 Comments
I'm A Celeb's Richard Coles admits he lied to church about relationship with husband David
25 Comments
No woke bandwagon can cancel Band Aid
12 Comments
'Sick kids will pay price!' Labour's disastrous NI hike to cripple children's hospices
206 Comments
State Pensioners could be due annual income top-up of nearly ￡4,000
2 Comments
The incredible city that wants to give its workers three days off to 'boost fertility'
4 Comments
The assisted dying bill must include Parkinson's patients like me - Sir Nicholas Mostyn
18 Comments
BBC's tokenistic act shows it isn't serious about change for us TV licence payers
20 Comments
Petition demanding fireworks ban to be debated this week after 'communities terrorised'
88 Comments
'Real reason' why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will refuse to leave US
66 Comments
Britain 'must rescue it's lost boys' or 'watch them fill our prisons'
204 Comments
Hospice bosses demand bank fines are used to ease ￡100m deficit crisis
Comments
BBC has shown it doesn't care about the destruction of women's sport
18 Comments
Princess Kate makes huge decision about Christmas plans after gruelling cancer battle
10 Comments
Merry Christmas? Not if woke warriors and their Puritanical fun police have their way
22 Comments
Prince Andrew's 'perfect excuse' to miss Christmas celebrations at Sandringham
97 Comments
Keir Starmer must do these four things - the future of Britain depends upon them
95 Comments
Rarely-seen member of the Royal Family sets hearts racing as he joins Princess Kate
25 Comments
Being labelled 'autistic' aged 14 saved my life
Comments
The country that's at risk of 'disappearing from Earth'
4 Comments
Parents of disabled children face over ￡20,000 annual income loss, study reveals
10 Comments
I'm A Celeb's Richard Coles admits he lied to church about relationship with husband David
25 Comments
No woke bandwagon can cancel Band Aid
12 Comments
'Sick kids will pay price!' Labour's disastrous NI hike to cripple children's hospices
206 Comments
State Pensioners could be due annual income top-up of nearly ￡4,000
2 Comments
The incredible city that wants to give its workers three days off to 'boost fertility'
4 Comments
The assisted dying bill must include Parkinson's patients like me - Sir Nicholas Mostyn
18 Comments
BBC's tokenistic act shows it isn't serious about change for us TV licence payers
20 Comments
“Children who are born to parents who are first cousins are at a higher risk of certain genetic conditions than people whose parents have no (known) genetic relationship. However, most children born to first cousins will be healthy.
“There are tried and tested ways to reduce the risks of genetic conditions to children of first cousins; the first step is to encourage couples who are first cousins to get medical advice. This might involve premarital carrier testing and genetic counselling. Therefore, there is no need to introduce such a ban health grounds.’
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The new Government will consider existing marriage law, including the Law Commission’s 2022 wedding report, before publicly setting out a position on this important issue.”