Tory MP’s bill to ban marriage between cousins is damaging and poses health risk, warn experts
Tory MP’s bill to ban marriage between cousins is damaging and poses health risk, warn experts
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Experts have called the marriage ban, proposed by Tory MP Richard Holden, “damaging” and a “potential health disadvantage”. A bill proposing the end to marriage between first-cousins has been criticised by experts ahead of its second reading on Friday.
The Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill was proposed by Tory MP for Basildon and Billericay Richard Holden, who said that the practice poses “risks to health, freedom... the cohesion of our society”. Speaking in December last year, the MP 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.”. He said a ban could discourage people from getting civil marriages due to the requirement to undergo testing, which could “take away the protection of the law if anything goes wrong.”.
Professor Small added: “I think that’s often to the disadvantage of women, and, in that sense, a potential health disadvantage.”. He continued that the issue would be “better dealt with” through more readily available “genetic testing” and education of the risks.
The professor said that the “upsetting rhetoric” from Conservative politicians could deter people from “science-based” approaches which would help them make informed choices when the “single biggest thing that damages children’s health is deprivation”.
