The British Humanist Association (BHA) has commented on the Supreme Court’s refusal to give Lillian Ladele permission to appeal last year’s Court of Appeal ruling that she had not been subject to religious discrimination. Ms Ladele, who had worked as a Registrar for Islington Council, refused to perform Civil Partnership ceremonies, saying that they went against her strong Christian beliefs. In refusing Ms Ladele’s application to appeal the ruling, the Supreme Court said that her case did not raise legal points of “general public importance”.
Andrew Copson, BHA Chief Executive, commented, ‘The Supreme Court’s decision not to grant permission to appeal is extremely welcome. A clear message has been sent out that those people providing public services or performing public functions, such as Civil Partnership ceremonies, have a duty to treat services users equally, with dignity and respect, as the public authority itself must.’
‘In a modern liberal democracy, there can be no “opt out” for those who say they are unable to do their jobs because they wish to discriminate, even when that desire to discriminate derives from a religious belief.’
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For further comment or information, please contact Andrew Copson on 020 3675 0959 or 020 7079 3583.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) is the national charity representing and supporting the non-religious and campaigning for an end to religious privilege and discrimination based on religion or belief.