08:33
Tieng Anh Vui
The traditional concept of marriage will be "abolished" under plans to allow same-sex couples to tie the knot, the Archbishop of Canterbury has warned ahead of a crunch vote on the issue.
Peers are set to vote on plans to legalise gay marriage at 1900 BST after a two-day debate in the House of Lords.
The Most Rev Justin Welby said that marriage was the "cornerstone of society" and what was being proposed was "neither equal nor effective".
MPs have already approved the plans.
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales would allow couples who can currently form civil partnerships to marry and the government believes everyone should have the right to marry.
If the bill passes, religious organisations would have to "opt in" to offering weddings, with the Church of England and Church in Wales being banned in law from doing so.
'Place for procreation'
The move is backed by Prime Minister David Cameron, his Liberal Democrat deputy Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband but was opposed by 161 MPs in a free vote in the Commons.
Peers spent several hours on Monday debating an amendment tabled by crossbench peer Lord Dear which would effectively "wreck" the government's plans. Their debate will resume at about 1500 BST, with a vote later in the evening.
Speaking in Monday's debate, the archbishop said the government's plans would fundamentally alter understanding about the purpose of marriage.
"The new marriage of the Bill is an awkward shape with same gender and different gender categories scrunched into it, neither fitting well," he said.
"The concept of marriage as a normative place for procreation is lost, the idea of marriage as covenant is diminished, the family in its normal sense. The result is confusion. Marriage is abolished, redefined and recreated."
He added: "For these and many other reasons, those of us in the Church and other faith groups who are extremely hesitant about the Bill in many cases hold that view because we think traditional marriage is a cornerstone of society.
"Rather than adding a new and valued institution alongside it for same gender relationships, which I would personally strongly support to strengthen us all, this Bill weakens what exists and replaces it with a less good option that is neither equal nor effective."
'Encouraging stability'
A number of prominent Conservatives - including Lord Tebbit and Lord Waddington - also spoke out against the bill but former Tory chairman Lord Fowler said it would be "politically suicidal" to reject a bill that had been approved by MPs.
"I believe that Parliament should value people equally in the law and that enabling same-sex marriage removes a current iniquity," he said. "I believe there are many gay and lesbian couples who want more than civil partnerships."
He added: "I believe that this Bill rather than weakening the institution of marriage strengthens it and that our purpose as a Parliament should be to encourage the stability it can bring."
David Cameron hopes the first ceremonies can take place by next summer.
France recently held its first same-sex marriage while the Scottish government has confirmed it will introduce a bill shortly to allow same-sex marriage.
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