A senior member of David Cameron's team is to become the first Conservative MP to enter into a civil partnership.
Alan Duncan, the shadow business secretary, will make political history with his announcement in The Daily Telegraph today.
Mr Duncan, 50, an MP since 1992, will be the first member of the Cabinet or shadow cabinet to have entered into a legal partnership with a same-sex partner.
Mr Cameron, who embraced same-sex relationships in his first party conference speech as leader, told The Daily Telegraph last night that he was "thrilled" for Mr Duncan.
Mr Duncan and his partner James Dunseath, 39, a press officer in the City, will hold the ceremony at Marylebone registry office in the summer. Mr Cameron, who has not been to a civil partnership ceremony, is hoping to attend.
They have announced their "commitment" to the partnership in the Court & Social page of today's Daily Telegraph.
Mr Duncan popped the question to Mr Dunseath on holiday in Oman on Valentine's Day.
Mr Duncan said: "James joked that if I had not asked him on Valentine's Day he would have asked me on Feb 29."
Mr Duncan and Mr Dunseath, who works at the Liffe, the financial futures exchange in the City, met at a dinner given by mutual friends 14 months ago.
Both of their families, who are steeped in the military tradition, have given their blessing to the civil partnership.
Mr Dunseath's father was a colonel in the Army and Mr Duncan's late father was an RAF wing commander. They were both brought up overseas.
Mr Duncan, who was the first Tory MP to "come out"as homosexual, was pointedly asked by Michael Howard, the previous Conservative leader, to pilot the party's response to the civil partnership legislation through the House of Commons.
Mr Duncan said: "I never ever imagined that one day I would be a beneficiary of the legislation.
"What James and I are entering into is not a marriage, it is a civil partnership. You could not find two more conventional people to enter into a civil partnership."
Mr Dunseath, who was only minutes from death when his throat was slit while he was drawing money from a cashpoint in Paris in 2000, said: "It's just fantastic. We hit it off instantly and our friends say we are inseparable. He may be a politician but he's great fun. We both feel it's so right and we're very lucky."
Mr Cameron has made equality for gay men and women - in the face of opposition from some traditionalists - a key part of his modernising agenda. He told The Daily Telegraph: "I am absolutely delighted for Alan and James, and wish them all the very best."
The news has also delighted members of Mr Duncan's constituency in Rutland and Melton, one of the safest conservative seats in the country.
Sheila Randall, a stalwart of the association for 54 years, said: "Alan and James are lovely men. I was on Alan's selection committee and have known and liked him ever since. I am so happy for them both."
William and Ffion Hague, who are also close friends of Mr Duncan, were also "delighted" by the news.
