Editing Iain Duncan Smith (section)

===Views on gay rights and marriage===
During his leadership campaign in 2001, Duncan Smith changed his stance from opposing the repeal of [[Section 28]] of the [[Local Government Act 1988]] to supporting its repeal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1339340/Duncan-Smith-outrages-both-sides-with-Clause-28-switch.html|title=Duncan Smith outrages both sides with Clause 28 switch|first=Andy|last=McSmith|date=3 September 2001|access-date=21 April 2012|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527042114/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1339340/Duncan-Smith-outrages-both-sides-with-Clause-28-switch.html|archive-date=27 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> His decision to give Conservative MPs a free vote on the issue was described as "illogical" and "messy" by other Conservative MPs in 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2664163.stm|title=Section 28 compromise avoids a crisis|first=Nyta|last=Mann|work=BBC News Online|date=16 January 2003|access-date=21 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527114531/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2664163.stm|archive-date=27 May 2006|url-status=live}}</ref>

As leader, he imposed a three-line whip to support a [[House of Lords]] amendment to the [[Adoption and Children Act 2002]] that would have restricted [[adoption]] to married couples, disqualifying gay couples at the time. The amendment was rejected by 344 to 145, with eight Conservative MPs rebelling.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Clause 44 — Suitability Of Adopters: 4 Nov 2002: House of Commons debates|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2002-11-04.24.4|access-date=23 December 2020|website=TheyWorkForYou|language=en|archive-date=4 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404003451/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2002-11-04.24.4|url-status=live}}</ref>

Duncan Smith has become significantly involved in issues of family and social breakdown. He has stated his support for early interventions to reduce and prevent social breakdown.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wintour|first=Patrick|date=12 March 2012|title=Iain Duncan Smith: early intervention crucial to prevent social breakdown|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/mar/12/duncan-smith-early-intervention-foundation|url-status=live|access-date=21 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111172314/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/mar/12/duncan-smith-early-intervention-foundation|archive-date=11 November 2014}}</ref> In December 2010, he studied a state-sponsored relationship education programme in [[Norway]], under which couples were forced to "think again" and confront the reality of [[divorce]] before formally separating. The policy has been credited with reversing Norway's trend for rising divorce rates and halting the decline of marriage in the country over the past 15 years. Duncan Smith said he was keen to explore ways in which similar approaches could be encouraged in Britain. Officials pointed out that such a programme would be expensive but that an approach could reduce the long-term cost of family breakdown, which has been estimated at up to £100 billion. Duncan Smith said couples in Norway were able to "work through what is going to happen with their children", which has "a very big effect on their thinking". "Many of them think again about what they are going to embark on once they really understand the consequences of their actions subsequently," he said.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8210666/IDS-backs-shock-courses-to-stop-couples-splitting-up.html |title = IDS backs shock courses to stop couples splitting up |date=28 December 2010 |newspaper = The Daily Telegraph |location=London |access-date = 4 April 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171006012357/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8210666/IDS-backs-shock-courses-to-stop-couples-splitting-up.html |archive-date=6 October 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Duncan Smith said in February 2011 that it was "absurd and damaging" for ministers not to extol the benefits of marriage for fear of stigmatising those who choose not to marry. Duncan Smith said: "We do a disservice to society if we ignore the evidence which shows that stable families tend to be associated with better outcomes for children. There are few more powerful tools for promoting stability than the institution of marriage." He added that "The financial costs of family breakdown are incredibly high. But what is most painful to see is the human cost – the wasted potential, the anti-social behaviour, and the low self-esteem."<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/8310165/Couples-should-be-encouraged-to-marry-says-Iain-Duncan-Smith.html |title=Couples should be encouraged to marry, says Iain Duncan Smith |date=8 February 2011 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |access-date=4 April 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110211084819/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/8310165/Couples-should-be-encouraged-to-marry-says-Iain-Duncan-Smith.html |archive-date=11 February 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In April 2012, he signalled his support for [[Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom|same-sex marriage]] on the basis that it would promote stability in relationships.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/04/28/iain-duncan-smith-defies-catholic-church-to-back-marriage-for-gay-couples/ |title = Iain Duncan Smith defies Catholic Church to back marriage for gay couples |newspaper=PinkNews |date=28 April 2012 |access-date=28 April 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120429151542/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/04/28/iain-duncan-smith-defies-catholic-church-to-back-marriage-for-gay-couples/ |archive-date=29 April 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>