Cameronite conservatism and the politics of marriage under the UK coalition government

Abstract

In the United Kingdom (UK), under the leadership of David Cameron, the Conservative Party has been keen to stress the value of marriage and stable families. However, in practice, the policies of the coalition government he has led since 2010 - particularly the emphasis on austerity - have arguably undermined family life. In addition, by offering financial support to those who are married and disadvantaging those who are not, the government may serve to reinforce the 'marriage divide' in the UK.