Marrying a first cousin is presently legal in Britain. Conservative Member of Parliament Richard Holden has, however, introduced legislation that would ban the practice, which has been linked to genetic disorders , higher infant mortality, and mental retardation .

"This is not about faith or race," Holden noted earlier this year. "It's about integration, fundamental liberty, and health."

The proposed ban has caused a great deal of hand-wringing among liberals and Pakistani activists , who figure it is "prejudiced" against the Pakistani community, where cousin marriage is widespread.

The National Health Service's Genomics Education Programme recently caused an uproar by adopting this framing and spinning incest as a possible social benefit.

In a Sept. 22 blog guidance that

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