Couples who are in long and enduring relationships should be able to have their relationships recognised

Lord Lester

Backed by gay rights group Stonewall, Lord Lester's bill proposes the establishment of "civil partnerships", provides for the registration of the partnership and sets out the ensuing legal consequences.

The bill, which also contains a provision for terminating such a partnership, will be launched in the Lords on Thursday with a second reading debate set for 25 January.

Currently the rights enjoyed by married couples, such as the automatic right of inheritance in the event of a spouse dying intestate or the right of succession to certain tenancies and to pension funds, are denied to non-married couples.

'Not like marriage'

Lord Lester said: "Couples who are in long and enduring relationships should be able to have their relationships recognised."

The law in this country is unnecessarily cruel and discriminatory

Angela Mason, Stonewall executive director

Although the "civil partnership register" he is proposing was not "exactly like marriage", it would give co-habitees many of the rights currently enjoyed by married couples, Lord Lester said.

"Their property rights would be recognised - inheritance rights, pension rights and, if one of them dies, the right to get bereavement damages.

"Matters of that kind would be recognised for the first time," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Lord Lester said there was a popular misconception among people who cohabit that their "common law" marriages were recognised in law, when this was not the case.

And new legislation was needed to bring the UK into line with most other democratic countries.

'Cruel and discriminatory'

Stonewall's executive director Angela Mason said: "There is a very strong moral and practical case for changing the law to recognise same-sex partnerships.

"The law in this country is unnecessarily cruel and discriminatory.

"This Bill is not about gay marriage. It is about allowing couples in mutually caring relationships to provide for and protect each other."