A COUPLE are overjoyed by the vote backing same-sex marriage after spending £500,000 of their own money lobbying for the cause.
Tony and Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, who were Britain's first gay surrogate parents, were standing outside Parliament when 400 MPs backed the controversial legislation, while 175 voted against.
The couple, from Maldon, who have five children, and entered a civil partnership in 2006, called Tuesday's vote "historic" but vowed to continue the fight for gay rights.
Barrie, 42, said: "I just can't believe it, it was a historic day and I am honoured to have been a part of it.
"The cheer that went up in the public gallery was amazing and it brought a tear to my eye. It was heart-wrenching.
"After all the moaning that happened on the backbenches, I really didn't think it would happen. I even had two scarves round my neck ready to tie my hands to the railings at parliament but I didn't even need to.
"We have wanted this to happen for years and we have really been campaigning hard for the last 12 months, ever since the bill was proposed."
The bill still has to go through more detailed parliamentary debates and a vote in the House of Lords. If it becomes law, the proposed bill would enable same-sex couples to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies, provided that the religious institution consents.
"The church and religious people have kept saying the whole reason for marriage is for a man and a woman to procreate and raise children - well hello, I have five children and I raise them well," said Barrie.
"What about married couples who can't have babies - should they not be allowed to get married because they can't procreate?"
He said he wanted to marry Tony in St John Baptist church in Danbury and that the pair were even considering going into politics.
"I think the next stage is to get Tony running for parliament, because we need somebody like him doing things for our community and for the rest of the UK," said Barrie.
The vote was supported by David Cameron, who urged Conservatives to vote in favour in a free vote – meaning they would not be ordered to vote a particular way by the party's whips.
But despite Cameron's plea, 136 Conservatives still opposed the bill. 127 were in favour, 35 did not vote, and five abstained.
Barrie added: "That is the next stage, the naming and shaming of all the people who voted against the bill. In 25 years' time when we're looking back at this I think people will see how ridiculous it was to oppose the vote."
