Lib Dems admit unlawful religious discrimination against Christian candidate

A Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate who was deselected by the party over his Christian views has won his legal battle.

Award-winning journalist David Campanale had been the party’s parliamentary candidate for the South London swing seat Sutton and Cheam, but he alleged that after campaign against him, activists within the party succeeded in having him removed.

But now, in a signed declaration sanctioned by His Honour Judge Johns KC, the Liberal Democrats have admitted unlawfully discriminating against Campanale over “his protected beliefs” and agreed to pay him damages.

No dissent

In 2024, leaked legal papers revealed that the party defended its decision to deselect Campanale by claiming his “expressed religious beliefs against abortion, gay marriage and legal sex change conflicted with the fundamental values set out” in the party’s governing document.

The party’s defence document also admitted that he was told “the party of past prominent Liberal Democrats with Christian beliefs, such as Shirley Williams and Charles Kennedy, ‘was over’”, even defending it as “a statement of fact reflecting the current policy platforms”.

Furthermore, it demanded Campanale legally prove “Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life”, arguing that his stated religious belief was “outside the defendant’s knowledge”.

Christian heritage

In the judgment agreed by both parties, the Liberal Democrats conceded multiple breaches of the Equality Act 2010, including harassment and victimisation, and accepted that it had allowed Campanale to be “mocked and abused in relation to his beliefs”.

Campanale’s barrister — human rights expert Alasdair Henderson — said it was “extremely disappointing to see any political party failing to uphold the law in this way”.

In a response to the party’s admission to the court of all allegations, Campanale said: “For this victory, I thank God”, and called on “all political parties to recognise Christianity as the foundation of Britain’s democracy”. He added: “For this reason, the historic faith of our nation must be celebrated – and defended.”

Gospel truth in the public square

Speaking to The Christian Institute, David Campanale said: “It does feel good that the Lord has chosen to allow me to see vindication”.

Commenting on the outcome of his case he explained: “This is a declaration by the court of the Liberal Democrats admission of breaking the law in multiple ways, of direct religious discrimination.

“So, I was removed not because of anything I’d done or said, I was removed only because I said that I would follow my Christian conscience on non-whipped issues in Parliament.”

Commenting more broadly on the issue of religious discrimination, he said: “What these illiberals want to do is to shut Christians up”. But, he added, “we continue to need to speak gospel truth into public life as far as we can”.