ITN [26/12/12]
Report by Jeremy Barnes

A High Court judge has joined criticism of the Government over its plans for gay marriage.

Sir Paul Coleridge told The Times that the proposals were the "wrong policy".

He said: "So much energy and time has been put into this debate for 0.1% of the population, when we have a crisis of family breakdown.

"While it is gratifying that marriage in any context is centre stage...but it (gay marriage) is a minority issue. We need a more focused position by the Government on the importance of marriage."

His comments follow those of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, who labelled the government's gay marriage bill as "undemocratic" and a "shambles".

In an interview, the Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols claimed that there was no mandate to enforce same-sex marriage laws.

He said: "There was no announcement in any party manifesto, no Green Paper, no statement in the Queen's Speech.

"And yet here we are on the verge of primary legislation. From a democratic point of view, it's a shambles.

"George Orwell would be proud of that manoeuvre. I think the process is shambolic."