The British Liberal Democrat Party is facing a serious allegation of discrimination on the basis of Christian faith.
Award-winning BBC journalist and practicing Anglican David Campanale, who was last month replaced as a prospective parliamentary candidate for the party, is suing both its local and central branches, calling for a declaration that he has been unlawfully discriminated against because of his faith. He is also seeking compensation.
The lawsuit comes after what was described as “a two-year campaign against him by members of his local party and a number of LGBT activists.” Local Lib Dem officials said there was “the feel of a witch-hunt” against Campanale because of his faith.
Campanale, quoted in The Daily Telegraph, said that he was barred from standing to be an MP because of “animosity” by local Liberal Democrats toward his religion.
The civil claim, seen by the Telegraph, says that Luke Taylor, Campanale’s replacement as parliamentary candidate for Sutton and Cheam, was a leading figure in the campaign to deselect him. Taylor is alleged to have claimed that “the party of past prominent Liberal Democrats with Christian beliefs” was “over,” and that the now-“secular party” would not tolerate Christians expecting to “hold to their religious or conscientious opinions.”
While this action is underway, a campaign is working to get Campanale reinstated as a Lib Dem MP candidate. Former Liberal Democrat MP Lord Alton, who is now an independent member of the House of Lords, described Campanale’s “appalling treatment” as “neither liberal nor democratic” and called upon Sir Ed to reverse the “shocking decision.”
The Bishop of Winchester, the Rt. Rev. Philip Mounstephen, added that “the deselection of David Campanale on the grounds of his beliefs alone is shockingly illiberal.”
A petition calling for Campanale to be reinstated has so far acquired more than 20,000 signatures and can be found here.
