We keep hearing it, over and over again: take back control, Parliament Is sovereign, we’re all in this together. But when it comes to equality for gay and lesbian couples in Northern Ireland the Conservatives are happy to make an exception.

It has been almost a year since the Northern Ireland Executive collapsed under the resignation of the late Martin McGuinness and the RHI scandal. We’ve had one Assembly election and one General Election since then which has put Theresa May squarely in DUP leader Arlene Foster’s pocket.

Westminster has passed a Budget Bill and a Rates Bill for Northern Ireland. So, make no mistake, direct rule is here in all but name. Tuesday marked the twelfth anniversary of the introduction of Civil Partnerships in the UK and nearly five years since England and Wales legislated to allow same-sex couples to marry. Yet still in Northern Ireland, gay couples are being given second best.

Even as Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Austria, Australia and even Taiwan have legislated for the measure, there is yet no sign of it coming to these shores. In Bermuda, the state Parliament passed a motion to repeal the same-sex marriage provisions there and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is coming under pressure to veto its repeal. It’s an ironic situation as his job and that of the Prime Minister depends on the support of the DUP, a party that has vetoed its introduction in Northern Ireland no less than five times.

But we cannot depend on the Government to introduce it, not while the DUP wags their tail for them. Instead, we must look to the Opposition benches. The SNP, Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens have all promised to support marriage equality and have done so at both Westminster and devolved legislatures. So, what’s taking them so long?

A Private Member’s Bill, or an amendment to an existing piece of legislation would get this done. It would be impossible for Tory MPs who supported the introduction of marriage equality in Westminster in 2013 to vote against or even abstain. If this is one United Kingdom and there’s to be no Special Status for Northern Ireland in any regard then it’s time they put their money where their mouth is and get this issue sorted and out of the way.

It’s about fairness, it’s about equality and it’s about treating people with dignity and respect, all of which is afforded to those living in England, Scotland and Wales.