Stick with gay marriage plebiscite: Howard

Former prime minister John Howard says he would have preferred a free vote in parliament on gay marriage rather than promising a plebiscite.

Former PM John Howard would have preferred a free vote in parliament on the issue of gay marriage. (AAP)

Former prime minister John Howard would have preferred a free vote in parliament on the issue of gay marriage.

"I believe in representative democracy," he told Sky News on Sunday.

But he said now that a plebiscite has been promised, the government must honour that.