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HAVE YOUR SAY

SHOULD MUSLIMS GET BENEFITS FOR 4 WIVES?

Bigamy is illegal in the UK

Monday February 4,2008

By Gabriel Milland Political Correspondent

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(102)

HUSBANDS who bring more than one wife to Britain can claim extra benefits for them at taxpayers’ expense.

Ministers have ruled that men in polygamous marriages can receive state handouts for each wife, including additional income support, even though bigamy is illegal in the UK.

A review of benefit rules for such marriages concluded in December that allowing husbands to claim for their additional wives remained the “best possible” option.

The decision will chiefly benefit Muslim men, as Islamic law allows them to have up to four wives.

Multi-marriages are recognised by the Government – provided the weddings took place in countries where the
practice is legal. But critics last night attacked the decision as “completely unacceptable” and warned it could
lead to demands for other changes in British laws.

Corin Taylor, of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “British taxpayers are paying a record amount of tax so the Government has a duty to make sure that every penny is spent properly.

“Polygamy is not something which British law allows and British taxpayers should not have to pay for extra benefits for second or third wives.”

Do YOU think Muslims should get benefits for 4 wives? Should ministers have ruled that men can receive state handouts if they have more than one wife - despite bigamy being illegal in the UK?

Have YOUR say...

WHEN IN ROME

26.02.08, 1:11am

I can remember many years ago Jerry Lee Lewis was going to take his wife, who was under 16, to UK. He was told that if he slept in the same room with her he would be prosecuted. Under age sex, British Law was the law. How things have changed!

• Posted by: Johncar • Report Comment

NOT THAT SIMPLE

26.02.08, 1:03am

Whilst I agree 4 wives should not be supported, it must be remembered that if anyone claims social security support (in UK, I don't live there) and they qualify, then they will support anyway. Catch 22.

• Posted by: Johncar • Report Comment

MUSLIM BENEFITS

23.02.08, 9:03pm

Poligimy is AGAINST our law .that goes for them as well. if they want 3/4 wives .let them care for them, Its one law for them and one or us.
It allways ends up US paying for THEM, its no wonder we are resenting them over hear. This is BRITIAN live by OUR laws.
Can you imagine us going to the middle east and expecting that treatment .we would be laughed at, which is how we should react to this stupidity. We will end up paying thousands in child benifit. as their hobby is breeding.

• Posted by: Redlady • Report Comment

WHAT IF...

21.02.08, 1:34pm

If I bring my wife's widowed sister, her 8 children, her single sister and her widowed mother to live with me. Claim they are my "Common law wives and offspring, will I be able to claim benefits for them and my actual wife and 3 children?
No chance. So why should anyone else be entitled to a similar claim?
There is already rampant unchecked abuse of the benefits system without adding more opportunities to fiddle it. In this country the law dictates one wife, if you have more tough, go to a country that allows more than one and claim your benefits there. Oh! I forgot there is no such place.

• Posted by: Wrinkles1 • Report Comment

MUSLIMS AND FOUR WIVES

21.02.08, 1:08pm

They should be allowed to claim for one only,and this should be paid to them only after they have been here at least twenty years.
Is it no wonder ! that they keep coming here.

• Posted by: andyreading6 • Report Comment

NO, A MEDAL PROBABLY WITH FOUR MOTHER IN LAWS??? NO JOKES THIS IS SERIOUS

17.02.08, 4:19pm

In a country where polygamy is against the law,there is no way that the law can be changed in any way to suit a religion, one wife only, the rest fend for themselves or the man keeps them with no help from the state.
Who gave the word that they could? We do not have Muslim law here whatever they say or think , if there is then it is illegal and should be dealt with as such ,so the answer to the question is NO NO NO ! ! !

• Posted by: Maggie • Report Comment