Civil wedding 'God ban could end'

Currently civil weddings cannot contain religious references

Poetry, readings and pop songs with religious references could be allowed at civil weddings under proposals due to be published soon.

The current law bans religious references, but the Office of National Statistics has reviewed it.

Readings and songs with "an incidental reference to a god or deity in an essentially non-religious context" could be allowed, The Times reported.

The Office of National Statistics said consultation would begin shortly.

Angels

Consultations will be held on whether couples should have more freedom to mark the ceremony with something significant to them.

If the ban was lifted, favourites ranging from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's love sonnet to Robbie Williams' Angels could be used.

But ministers are wary of concerns by faith leaders that religious references could confer religious authority on civil partnerships, particularly between same-sex couples.

The office, responsible for registering marriages, was asked to look into the matter by Chancellor Gordon Brown who had been asked about by Liberal Democrat Culture spokesman Don Foster.

Civil marriages out-numbered religious ceremonies by 181,000 to 86,000 in 2003.