A heterosexual couple who had their application for a civil partnership refused earlier this week plan to commence legal action in the courts, together with seven other couples who have been similarly refused.
This joint legal action is scheduled to be launched in the Great Hall at King's College, London at 10am on 21 December.
Commenting on the refusal, Tim Garrett – one half of yesterday's rejected couple – said:
"We are disappointed but not surprised by the refusal to grant us a civil partnership. The register office staff were very courteous and helpful. But the legislation they currently have to abide by is outdated and discriminatory.
"The thinking behind the ban is anachronistic and reminiscent of the days of whites-only golf clubs and such like. We hope Britain will soon join other civilised, liberal democracies such as South Africa and the Netherlands, by casting off this unpleasant and offensive form of segregation. Allowing civil partnerships only to gay people and civil marriages only to straight people is unjust discrimination," he said.
His application was part of the Equal Love campaign, which seeks the repeal of the twin prohibitions on gay civil marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships.
The Equal Love campaign is organised by the gay rights group OutRage! and coordinated by the human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, with the support of the Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund.
"Denying heterosexual couples the right to have a civil partnership is unjust and discriminatory. We believe that straight couples like Lucy and Tim should have the option of a civil partnership, if they wish," he said.
"The bans on same-sex civil marriages and on opposite-sex civil partnerships are a form of sexual apartheid. They enshrine one law for straight couples and another law for gay partners. Two wrongs don't make a right.
"The Equal Love campaign has involved eight couples filing applications at register offices around the country. Four same-sex couples applied for civil marriages and four heterosexual couples applied for civil partnerships. All were turned away.
"Our aim is to secure equality in civil marriage and civil partnership law. We want both systems open to all couples, gay and straight, so that everyone has a free and equal choice."
Political support for ending the ban on gay marriage is growing. London Mayor, Boris Johnson, and former Conservative Party Vice-Chair, Margot James MP, have both come out in favour of allowing lesbian and gay couples to marry in a registry office, on the same terms as heterosexual partners.
This view is also endorsed by the leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, and by the deputy prime minister Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats.
Both the Liberal Democrat and the Green party conferences have voted overwhelmingly in favour of ending the bans on gay civil marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships.
Public attitudes have shifted strongly in favour of allowing gay couples to marry. A Populus opinion poll in June 2009 found that 61% of the public believe that: "Gay couples should have an equal right to get married, not just to have civil partnerships." Only 33% disagreed.
