Pastor who blew whistle can sue MOJ

JUSTICE Secretary Robert Buckland is coming under pressure to review chaplaincy arrangements in British prisons along with whistleblower policies.

A series of questions has been tabled in Parliament after a Christian pastor who blew the whistle on Islamic extremism in British jails was given permission to sue for being banned from working in prisons.

Pastor Paul Song was banned after he gave an interview to a national newspaper in 2018 after news broke of his treatment at HMP Brixton.

He had been blocked from working at the prison after a Muslim imam had taken over as senior chaplain. He was reinstated but then banned from all prisons after his case hit the headlines.

In a ruling, Judge Julian Goose said the nine claims against the Ministry of Justice, including victimisation, breach of the Human Rights Act and breach of equality laws, were not appropriate for a judicial review.

But he said Pastor Song had the right to challenge the ban in the county courts.

Pastor Song said: “I have been severely punished for exposing the truth.”