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Lillian Ladele |
GAY ‘SINNERS’ REGISTRAR TO KEEP HER JOB
Town Hall may appeal against tribunal discrimination ruling
A LANDMARK legal ruling in the case of a Christian marriage registrar fighting Islington Council on discrimination charges has thrown the Town Hall into disarray.
Lillian Ladele, 47, won her employment tribunal after being threatened with the sack for refusing to officiate at gay marriages because she believed homosexuals were “sinners”.
Astonished Labour councillors last night (Thursday) slammed the council leader for stalling over whether to appeal against the “unfair decision”.
Cllr Catherine West, leader of the Labour Group, said: “I am disappointed by this ruling, which I think is deeply misjudged. I cannot understand how the council got this wrong. I believe that it is about time that James Kempton, the leader of the council, shows some leadership and confirms that Islington will launch an appeal.”
Cllr Phil Kelly added: “I think Islington Council has done other local authorities a great disservice in losing this tribunal. They have been completely incompetent.”
Council leader James Kempton said: “We are now considering the judgement carefully in order to decide whether we should appeal. We would not have fought this if we did not want it resolved.”
Taxpayers have already been left to pick up a £35,000 legal bill for the five-day hearing and significant damages will be paid to Ms Ladele barring an appeal.
Ms Ladele told the Tribune yesterday (Thursday) at her Skinner Street, Finsbury home, that she was “very pleased” with the judgement and had earlier described it as “a victory for religious liberty”.
Ms Ladele’s tribunal had pitted the 2005 legislation acknowledging same-sex unions against the teachings of the Bible.
As an orthodox Christian, she had told the tribunal in May that performing civil partnership ceremonies was like “force-feeding a Muslim unclean food”.
She argued she had been forced to choose between her God and her £31,000-a-year job.
The tribunal on Wednesday announced it had upheld all counts of discrimination and that Islington Council had “no respect” for Ms Ladele’s “genuinely held religious beliefs”. Judge AM Lewzey said: “This amounted to a violation of Ms Ladele’s dignity and created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, offensive environment. It is the unanimous judgement of the tribunal.”
Jack Gilbert, former chair of the Islington Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Forum, said: “Ms Ladele has won her discrimination case but the judgement has not clarified anything. I would seriously encourage the council to challenge the decision.” |
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