Something to remember with pride: same-sex marriage

In amongst all the pain there have been a few moments of light relief for Liberal Democrats. Ed Balls losing, George Galloway losing. Mike Hancock getting a measly 2%. Nigel Farage losing. But these are just a bit of brief light relief on the side.

More substantive pleasure – and pride – can be taken in some of what Liberal Democrats achieved by being in government over the last five years. There’ll be much to debate about this, but whatever views people come to, some achievements should stand out. Above all, same-sex marriage – letting people who love each other, marry each other.

The memories of the happy days so many people have been part of in the last year or so – and the lives the lucky people have set out on – can rightly be remembered with fondness and with pride.

If Lynne Featherstone hadn’t got this on the political agenda and then moving through government in 2010, it wouldn’t have happened in the last Parliament and, with now a Conservative majority government, it wouldn’t have otherwise happened in this Parliament.

Thank you, Lynne.