Alan Duncan and James Dunseath plan a summer ceremony

The shadow business secretary, 50, proposed to James Dunseath, 39, a press officer in the City, on 14 February while the pair were on holiday in Oman.

"James joked that if I had not asked him on Valentine's Day, he would have asked me on Feb 29," Mr Duncan said.

Tory leader David Cameron said he was "thrilled" for Mr Duncan.

The UK has allowed civil partnerships, the legally recognised union between two people of the same sex, since December 2005.

'Conventional people'

The most well-known couple to take advantage of the legislation are Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish, who "tied the knot" on 21 December, 2005.

What James and I are entering into is not a marriage, it is a civil partnership

AlanThe Frontrunner For French President Is Against Gay Marriage, Adoption—Even Legalizing Homosexuality

Sunday was the presidential primary for France’s center-right Les Republicains party.

Going into the race, former prime minister Francois Fillon was third behind ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy and Bordeaux mayor Alain Juppé.

JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK/AFP/Gett

But Fillon snagged a surprise victory, taking more than 44% of the vote in the first round.

He will now face Juppé in a ruff-off vote next Sunday—whoever wins will go up against and Marine Le Pen, leader of the ultra-right wing National Front, and the candidate for the reigning Socialist Party, in next year’s general election.

CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/Getty Images

Unlike Juppé, frontrunner Fillon opposed civil unions and voted against same-sex marriage, which came to France anyway in 2013.

“François Fillon owes us a real clarification,” wrote the feminist group Les