The Tory leadership at last appears to be softening its opposition to legal recognition of gay and unmarried heterosexual partnerships.  

Although they formally opposed Lord Lester's liberalising civil partnerships bill in the House of Lords last week, the party's peers were given a free vote on the bill, which would give formal status to "civil" partnerships.

Frontbencher John Bercow, one of Michael Portillo's loyal lieutenants, and shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin are leading the way.  Letwin has already softened the party line on crime and asylum seekers. Clearly they will have a fight with some elements in the party but it looks as though Mr. Duncan Smith is allowing them both to test the water with more liberal ideas.

The leader of the Tory peers, Lord Strathclyde, reportedly fought strongly for the shift in policy against those who claim that any softening of the party's stance would undermine its line on the primacy of the family. 

All conservatives accept that marriage is the best basis for bringing up children.  However, there is a perfectly respectable conservative case for gay marriage.  Click here to read it.  The British Conservative Party appears to be recognising it at last.

Lord Lester's civil partnerships bill follows the case of Anna Homsi, who was denied a war pension after her longstanding partner, an SAS soldier, was killed on active service in Sierra Leone.  It would allow couples, including same sex partners, to make legal provisions for their joint protection. 

Couples will be able to register their relationship if they can make a declaration that it fulfils certain criteria. The declaration will include a statement that each partner signing it is fully aware of the gravity of the financial and emotional responsibilities of supporting and caring for the other partner.

It would enable the courts to intervene if the relationship broke down and oversee a fair distribution of the couple's assets. If one partner died, the other would be entitled to inherit any pension and assets in the same way as the surviving partner in a marriage.