Video: Conservative: gay marriage is 'concept that resonates with public' Matthew Sephton, chairman of LGBTory, which promotes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans issues in the UK Conservative Party, conceded that it was a divisive issue for the party. He said: "Yes there are people who are opposed to it, often it is for religious reasons, and I say to those people that what we are introducing is a change in civil marriage. Civil marriage was first introduced in 1836. This idea that marriage is being redefined, and this is a novel concept, is totally incorrect. Marriage through the ages has changed and developed.