THE Bishop of Worcester is backing the Church of England’s opposition to Government moves calling for same-sex marriages to be legalised.

The Rt Rev Dr John Inge said he “whole-heartedly” stood with the Church’s position, and joined them in launching a scathing attack on the Government’s consultation for being “prejudicial” to a fair process.

The consultation finishes on Thursday.

Echoing the Church’s statement released today, Bishop John said the law had already addressed “legal and material inequalities between heterosexual and same-sex partnerships”.

“To go further and change the nature of marriage for everyone will be divisive and deliver no obvious legal gains given the rights already conferred by civil partnerships,” he said.

He said it was “deeply unwise” to impose change for “ideological reasons”.

Bishop John also blasted the “hasty consultation” on the institution of marriage, adding it was completely wrong to say “there is such a thing as ‘religious marriage’ as distinct from ‘civil marriage’ when there is, in fact, no such distinction in law.”

The Church and Bishop John are urging the Government to reconsider its plans.