Christian councillor to fight on as Party backs her expulsion

A Christian councillor who was kicked out of her local party group after she took a stand against gay marriage says she will continue fighting after her expulsion was upheld by national party officials.

Christina Summers was banned from sitting with her Green Party colleagues on Brighton and Hove City Council in September after she voted against a motion that backed same-sex marriage.

She appealed against the decision, but an inquiry panel has backed the local party’s move.

Disappointed

Miss Summers told her local newspaper, The Argus, that she was disappointed “in every way” but not surprised.

She said: “I am now consulting with lawyers over a fundamental breach of a human right and will be issuing a full statement soon.”

Miss Summers now stands as an independent councillor, representing Hollingdean and Stanmer.

Family

She had said during a council debate in July: “When you touch marriage, you’re touching family and you’re hitting at the very heart of God and I have an enormous problem with that.”

Miss Summers maintains that in booting her out, the Party was discriminating against Christians.

But Brighton branch chairman Rob Shepherd welcomed the panel’s decision to uphold the expulsion.

He claims she was not kicked out because of her views on gay marriage but because of other reasons.