Columnist Sarah Vine has launched a forceful plea for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to outlaw first-cousin marriages, branding the practice incompatible with modern Britain and a significant financial drain on the National Health Service.
The Call for 'Moral Courage'
During a debate on her Daily Mail podcast, Alas Vine & Hitchens, Vine insisted the Prime Minister must 'show some moral courage' and support a cross-party move to ban the tradition. She argued that such unions are detrimental to families and the wider UK, linking them to serious congenital disabilities that cost the NHS 'an enormous amount of money, which it doesn't have'.
Vine pointed to a recent YouGov poll highlighting that almost half of mothers from the Pakistani community in inner-city Bradford were married to a first or second cousin. She framed the issue as one of safeguarding vulnerable women and children within affected communities, who she said bear the lifelong burden of care for resulting disabilities.
A Blocked Bill and a Political Dilemma
The columnist specifically urged Sir Keir to back Conservative MP Richard Holden's private member's bill, which seeks to prohibit cousin marriage. She noted that the proposed legislation has been blocked by Labour for nearly 400 days, despite enjoying support from MPs across the political spectrum.
Vine drew direct parallels with other outlawed cultural practices, stating: 'In the same way as we have done with female genital mutilation or forced marriage - these other cultural traditions that don't belong in the modern world.' She presented the ban as a clear opportunity for the Prime Minister to promote British values and demonstrate leadership.
Hitchens' Sympathy for Starmer's Position
Her co-host, Peter Hitchens, agreed that cousin marriage was 'extremely unwise' and a bad thing for society. However, he expressed sympathy for the Prime Minister's reluctance to engage with the private member's bill, suggesting a democratic leader must show sensitivity to cultural beliefs.
'Politics isn't necessarily about what's right,' Hitchens argued. 'If you are a democratic politician, you must be sensitive to what people think.' He cautioned that Starmer risked political entanglement, referencing the Prime Minister's complicated support for the Assisted Dying bill as an example.
Nevertheless, Vine remained adamant, concluding that a leader presented with a plan to reduce birth defects, improve women's lives, and save NHS funds should act decisively. The full debate, including Hitchens' analysis of unrest in Iran, is available on the Alas Vine & Hitchens podcast.
