Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat deputy leader, said that the UK Government will allow same-sex couples to have “civil marriage” with same legal status as marriage between a man and a woman.

Under current law, same-sex couples may receive a civil partnership, which is recognized but not given the same status as marriage is for heterosexual couples. Hughes predicts that before the next general election, the law will be changed to give an equal right to full marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

“It would be appropriate in Britain in 2010 to have civil marriage for straight people and gay people equally,” he told British news source  The Telegraph. “The state ought to give equality. We’re halfway there. I think we ought to be able to get there in this Parliament.”