Conservative MPs will be given a free vote on whether to support plans to introduce gay marriage in the face of opposition from members of the government, according to reports.
David Cameron has lent his personal support to allowing gay couples to marry as have Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband.
Just yesterday Downing Street said the plans were a "government commitment" suggesting it expected all ministers to vote in favour of the plans, however it now appears ministers will be free to oppose the proposals if they wish.
The government is currently consulting on the plans and has pledged to introduce legislation before the end of the current parliament in 2015.
However there has been outspoken opposition from some Tory backbenchers, with many publicly declaring their intention to vote against the measure when introduced.
On Tuesday the public disent spread to the cabinet when Northern Ireland Owen Paterson's hostility to the plans was revealed in a letter to a constituent.
"Having considered this matter carefully, I am afraid I have come to the decision not to support gay marriage," he wrote in response to an appeal for support.
Children's minister Tim Loughton has also signalled his intent to vote against the plans while defence secretary Philip Hammond has said that the policy is not a priority and that the government should focus "on the things that matter".
According to the BBC Downing Street will allow Tory MPs and ministers to vote against the measure without repercussions or being forced to quit the government.
Usually ministers are bound by collective responsibility and have to vote in favour of government policy and on Wednesday No.10 indicated that this was the case with plans for same-sex marriage.
Last night defence minister Gerald Howarth told the Daily Telegraph that Downing Street was "absolutely right and proper" to allow ministers to vote agains the plans if they wanted.
In the wake of the local election results, in which the Tories did quite badly, Howarth was among Conservative MPs who blamed the losses on gay marriage plans - to the disbelief of many.
Foreign secretary William Hague dismissed the claim that the poor showing was due to gay marriage, arguing that the results were not "about those issues"
While Labour MP Chris Bryant, said the Tories lost council seats because of the economy and the suggestion that it was due to gay marriage plans was “barking”.
On Tuesday Nick Clegg promised that the government's plans will not be derailed by growing opposition from Conservative MPs.
"The Coalition Government, the Liberal Democrats and I remain wholeheartedly committed to lifting the ban on equal civil marriage. We are currently consulting on how, not whether, to introduce proposals for equal marriage and I want to encourage everyone to make sure that their voices are heard during this time," he told The Independent.
"Many other countries have taken this progressive step and I think it's about time Britain joined them."
And on Wednesday supporters of the plans in parliament stepped up their campaign to fight back against the opposition.
Tory MP Des Swayne, the former territorial army officer and christian who serves as parliamentary aide to the prime minister posted a video for the Out4Marriage campaign.
I'm married," he says. "I enjoy being married, it's a blessing, and therefore I want that blessing to be extended to everyone."
The decision to allow a free vote on the plans will fuel fears among supporters that Cameron is in danger of backing down.
Gay rights campaign organisation Stonewall expressed disappointment in April when there was no mention of equal marriage in the Queen's speech.
We trust that extension of the legal form of marriage to gay people isn’t going to turn into a 'tuition fees' issue, announced with much hoopla in the run-up to an important election and then abandoned," they said at the time.