Nick Ferrari: Govt’s six-month divorce plans too hasty

A top radio presenter has spoken out against the Government’s plans for no-fault divorce.

Nick Ferrari, a presenter at LBC, has been through divorce himself and said the move to change the law will be “the biggest shake-up in the nation’s divorce laws in half a century”.

Writing in the Sunday Express, he added, “as usually happens in any shake-up, not everything has quite landed in the right place”.

‘Way too soon’

Currently divorce in England and Wales is permitted on the grounds of adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion, separation for two years (with consent) and separation for five years (without consent).

But the Government’s plans for no-fault divorce would see all fault grounds removed.

Ferrari said, “as soon as one partner fires the starting pistol on the divorce it cannot be stopped by the other spouse and a split can be finalised in six months. That is way too soon”.

He added, “a two-year delay would have been far more appropriate.”

‘Incompatible’

Earlier this month, Justice Secretary David Gauke announced that the Government will introduce its no-fault divorce legislation “as soon as Parliamentary time allows”.

This comes despite 83 per cent of official consultation respondents disagreeing with plans to remove the right to contest the divorce.

Colin Hart, Chairman of Coalition for Marriage, has said the Government’s plans allow “cheating or bored spouses to walk away from a solemn, lifelong commitment whenever they choose and with the full support, end even encouragement, of the state.”

The proposal “could see a person divorced, have their access to their children restricted, their assets divided and themselves removed from their home by court order, all despite being faithful to their marriage vows.”

Mr Hart concluded: “No-fault divorce is incompatible with the weight of evidence that shows marriage is the gold standard of relationships and needs support”.