Depending on your culture, cousins marrying cousins will either be a normal occurrence or something hugely taboo.

The contrast in opinions on the topic became especially apparent this week, after NHS England’s Genomics Education Programme shared a blog discussing the ‘various potential benefits’ of first-cousin relationships.

The article claimed ‘stronger extended family support systems and economic advantages’ were among these advantages, but it was later removed from the site after widespread backlash.

Following the news, Tory MP Richard Holden told the Daily Mail that the Conservatives planned to crack down on marriage between first cousins, while health secretary Wes Streeting said on LBC radio: ‘First-cousin marriages are high risk and unsafe, we see the genetic defects it causes,

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