Former Conservative minister Richard Holden's Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill is due to return before the House of Commons on Friday and seeks to outlaw first cousin marriage.
In Bradford, England, a 2024 study found 46% of women in the Pakistani community are in consanguineous marriages, often to first cousins, which can increase the risk of birth defects and genetic disorders in their children. While Conservative MP Richard Holden proposed a ban on first-cousin marriage, Labour leader Keir Starmer indicated Labour would block such a ban, advocating for genetic testing instead. Studies show consanguineous marriage rates are declining but remain high in Pakistani communities, with potential health risks for offspring estimated to be double that of children with unrelated parents.
