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The coalition announced plans to launch a public consultation next year with the hope of legislating same-sex marriages before the next general election.

Liberal Democrat Lynne Featherstone publicized the move to instigate research and analysis on how to make civil marriage available to same-sex couples, describing the present system as “not fair”, during the Lib Dem autumn conference.

The consultation is due to be launched in March of next year, Miss Featherstone revealed, in order to leave room for any necessary legislative changes to be included in Statute Book before the next election, scheduled for May 2015.

“We are a world leader for gay rights, but as this conference made clear last year with your call for equal marriage, there is still more that we must do,” the Equalities Minister said.

“That is why I am delighted to announce today that in March, this Government will begin a formal consultation on how to implement equal civil marriage for same sex couples.

“And this would allow us to make any legislative changes necessary by the end of this parliament.”

Currently, same-sex couples are only allowed to enter civil partnerships.

Miss Featherstone said that civil partnerships, which became the law in 2005, were a “welcome first step” and the party is now determined to stamp out “prejudice and discrimination in all its forms”.

“I believe that to deny one group of people the same opportunities offered to another is not only discrimination, but is not fair.”

“Britain must not be complacent,” she said. “We are a world leader for gay rights but there is still more we must do.”

The proposed reforms would allow same-sex unions to have the legal recognition of heterosexual marriages but they can only take place in registry offices.

Churches and other religious buildings won’t be allowed to conduct same sex marriages, however under plans announced earlier this year; religious premises will be able to host civil partnerships, if they choose to.

Chair of LGBT Liberal Democrats, Adrian Trett, welcomed the efforts of Miss Featherstone, but voiced his disappointment over the Conservative party’s lukewarm stance over the issue.

“Clearly, we are disappointed that the Conservative party has delayed this and watered it down. If Cameron is serious about ending discrimination, I would hope that he speaks out for full equality. Access to religious same-sex marriage is missing, and there is no mention of mixed-sex civil parnerships, nor of ending the forced divorce of Transgender people who wish to gain full legal recognition.”

However, a No 10 source insisted that the Conservative party is dedicated to instigating a positive change and David Cameron has been championing the move - adamant that progress is made fast.

“It is something that was in our equalities manifesto at the election and it is something the PM has been pushing for,” the source said.

“He has been pushing for it in the sense that as the head of the Government he makes sure it goes through.

“When policies are going through, if the PM is willing them to go through then that's helpful.”