Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Repeal the Consummation Laws in England and Wales
Closed
357 signatures
What the petition asks
Section 12 of the Matrimonial Causes Act says marriage between two persons of the opposite sex can be voided if it is not consummated. This legislation should be repealed, in line with same-sex marriage as it provides for the outdated idea that a marriage should have a sexual component to it.
Asexuality is a sexual orientation where an individual has little to no sexual attraction. They can feel romantic attraction and may wish to get married without ever having sex. This group of people who make up 1% of the British population (as well as anyone else who prefers not to have sex for whatever reason) should have the right to marry whomever they choose without having to worry that not consummating their marriage could mean it can be declared void.
Timeline
| 23 Jul 2020 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 23 Jan 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
357
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
23 Jul 2020
Closed
23 Jan 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.