WE have had a government announcement this week that it is to consider conferring the same rights and privileges to co-habiting couples as to those who have a marriage certificate.

Why?

They say that as there is no such thing as a ‘common law’ husband or wife, couples living together have no claim on each other’s assets.

So, a very learned judge thought ‘better bring in some new laws’, which is silly when the answer is simple — get married!

It only takes an hour at the register office.

There are very good reasons to marry, one is commitment, a statement to the world that ‘we two are together and what we have we will share and we will look out and care for one another’.

I know some will say that’s what couples living together will do, so if that is so, why not have a contract.

I dread to think of the layers of bureaucracy that would be let loose in order to enforce such a law.

What we need is a complete review of the benefit and tax system.

At present it’s financially beneficial for couples on benefits to live as single people, so something like one in four children are being born outside of marriage.

The number is increasing and the cost is enormous.

There was another big statement this week, when Mr Cameron said that multiculturalism is not working.

Well, it could, but for it to work, all of us must agree on some basic things.

First of all English should be the common language and used everywhere — in all institutions, schools, hospitals and courtrooms, for instance.

That’s the thing which would help to bind us, unite us all together. No more multiplicity of signs in different languages.

In their own homes everyone can follow their different religions and family ways, but in public there must be concentrated effort on everyone’s part to realise that common aims and conforming to the traditions, rules and laws of this great country are the stuff that will make us all stronger, safer and prosperous.

And isn’t that something we all want?

Feeling rather sceptical, I went to a meeting of the newly-formed branch of the national Civic Voice and came away impressed.

I’ve always wondered about all the fuss surrounding the old police building in King Street — but I found the ramifications about its future are far reaching and important.

With a little co-operation the town could be saved a huge amount of money, indeed several million pounds, the building refurbished by the Georgian Society, at no cost to the town and the circular road completed, with the graves in St Peter’s left in peace.

Incidentally, all the Blackburn councillors were invited to the meeting, but not one turned up, nor sent apologies; a rather sad indictment, don’t you think?