Registrar loses gay weddings appeal
A CHRISTIAN registrar who claimed that her religious beliefs stopped her from conducting "gay weddings" has lost the latest round in her long-running battle against Islington Council.
Lillian Ladele, who was threatened with the sack when she refused to carry out civil partnerships, has had her case dismissed by the Court of Appeal - which today ruled that the council had acted lawfully in expecting all its registrars to carry out the ceremonies.
The row started when the registrar, of Skinner Street, Finsbury, took Islington Council to an employment tribunal last summer. Ms Ladele, who had been a registrar for more than a decade when civil partnerships were introduced in 2005, claimed she was bullied when she told her bosses that she did not want to carry them out.
The employment tribunal found in favour of Ms Ladele, saying that the council had subjected her to discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
But the decision was overturned by the Employment Appeal Tribunal in December 2008, which ruled that the council had in fact acted lawfully.
The Court of Appeal has now dismissed Ms Ladele's case, refused her leave to appeal their decision at the new Supreme Court, and awarded Islington Council costs.
Councillor Ruth Polling, Islington Council's executive member for equalities, said the decision was "very welcome news".
She said: "The judgement is the right one as it confirms that all public sector employees must carry out their duties without discrimination and that Islington was right to insist this of all our staff."
Ms Ladele has vowed to fight on. Mike Judge of The Christian Institute, which is backing Ms Ladele, said: "We are very disappointed but we are planning to apply directly to the Supreme Court for leave to appeal.
"We are carrying on with the fight because we think there are important issues of religious rights that need to be discussed, and we think they should be discussed in the highest court in the land.
|
|
|
|
|
|