It could soon be 'too late' to retain traditional meaning of marriage, warns Archbishop It follows remarks by Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, who said there was now a "real sense of anger" among grassroots Tories about the move, which he said would "redefine" marriage for "millions and millions" of people. Addressing a congregation at the mass later tomorrow, the Archbishop will say that a "healthy society" needs laws which underpin the traditional family unit. Addressing 600 married couples, most of them marking landmark wedding anniversaries, the Archbishop will praise them for their "witness" to marriage in society. He will add: "I hope many in our society will realise, before it is too late, the importance of full and unequivocal legal backing for this true and lasting definition of marriage. The core of marriage is not determined by human laws and conventions. For a healthy society, those laws and conventions should always support marriage as an institution characterised by an openness to children and the responsibility of fathers and mothers remaining together to care for children born into their family. He will go on to speak about the family as the ultimate social safety net, for the sick, elderly and poor especially during the current economic downturn. "Families are often best placed to respond to those needs," he will say. No intelligent government can continue to ignore the urgent priority of giving support and practical encouragement to marriage and family stability as the first response to growing social needs. Lord Dear, who has previousl defeated governments on controversial hate speech laws and terror detention limits, has become one of the leading figures behind an expected Lords rebellion over gay marriage. In his letter, he announced that he plans to table a motion to block the bill in the Lords, rather than simply amend it. He argued that, even though the Commons is elected, the Lord is justified in defying it in circumstances where the Government is "clearly acting with no democratic mandate and without regard to the proper constitutional processes" "We have before us a Bill which affects issues of the profoundest importance and yet which the Government is seeking to force through in the most undemocratic and shameful way," he wrote. He said that the bill could have major implications for the family, church, state and even civil liberties, meaning that it requires "prolonged debate." "Yet despite the widespread and deeply-felt opposition in the country, the Government is using its raw power to press ahead as fast as possible," he wrote.