Hello world, and welcome to a new era.

I've been threatening to write a blog for almost a decade. Now it seems that I will be spending the next 3 years immersed in the digital world (my DigiSkills Cymru idea for a project addressing digital skills needs of public sector workers in Wales has just been approved for funding) I guess this is the most appropriate moment to take the plunge and reach the pinnacle of the digital inclusion pyramid and engage in a spot of "content creation".

So the big news today in my world (apart from the announcement of the next round of WULF funding) has been the vote at Westminster to legalise same-sex marriage. I got into my hotel room this afternoon to catch the last two hours of what was clearly a marathon session in the Commons. I heard some particularly offensive and ridiculous reasoning from assorted old Tories and a succession of DUP members spouting religious nonsense ("god created Adam and Steve not Adam and....er, Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve" from one Ulster bigot was a particular highlight).

Now, I'm well known as a bit of a political geek. What would usually be a lonely experience watching BBC Parliament was greatly enhanced by following #equalmarriage on Twitter. I found it a really amusing and reassuring experience, it certainly created a new online community - however fleeting - of liberal-minded folk from all walks of life united around a single point of interest that stretched beyond my usual Labour/trades union/comedian dominated twitter feed.

But the serious point is that we in Britain, or at least in England and Wales, have now created the conditions in which everyone regardless of sexual orientation has the same legal opportunities in life. And as a married, heterosexual man, I'm glad that my young boys can grow up with the confidence to be who they want to be with the backing of their parents and the law whether they are gay or straight. It is a minority issue; but how the majority in a society legislates for the rights of a minority says a lot about that society.

There may be a lot wrong with Britain in 2013, and I will certainly have them in my sights for future blog posts. However, today I want to be positive. Today is an important day. Indeed, I think in more than one way it's the start of a new era.