Polygamy Legal in Britain, but not for the British
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008
Amazingly, polygamy is now quasi-legal in Britain under special circumstances. From the article:
Ministers have decided that, even though bigamy is a crime in Britain, polygamous marriages can be recognized formally by the state - provided they took place overseas, in countries where they are legal.
The outcome will chiefly benefit Muslim men with more than one wife.
A Muslim man with four spouses - which is permitted under Islamic law - could receive £10,000 a year in income support alone. He could also be entitled to more generous housing and council tax benefit, to reflect the fact his household needs a bigger property.
Ministers estimate that up to a thousand polygamous partnerships exist in Britain, although they admit there is no exact record.
Potentially, the benefits bill for income support could reach £10m.
This is a frustrating hypocrisy on the part of the government. Either polygamy should be legal and available for all British citizens or it shouldn’t be legal for any. Making exceptions does not a just government make.
While the article focuses on the large British Islamic population, we can’t forget about those wacky mormons either.
[Click here for the full article]
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Story via neatorama
Header photograph by babasteve
A political mashup that hits the nail on the head: