Christian rights fury after bakers lose gay cake battle
THE rights of Christians to uphold their beliefs are under threat following a landmark ruling over a cake bearing a gay slogan, it was claimed yesterday
Christian leaders said the case set a ‘dangerous precedent’, and that Christians and followers of other faiths will now be forced to promote ideas and messages they deplore.
The warning came after a judge declared that a Christian-run bakery had discriminated against a gay activist by refusing to bake a cake saying ‘Support Gay Marriage’.
He said that Belfast-based ashers Baking Company, which is run by the Mcarthur family, had broken equality laws and discriminated against activist Gareth lee by turning down his order.
The Christian Institute, which backed the Mcarthurs, is now facing more than £300,000 in legal bills – including more than £100,000 run up by the Northern Ireland Equality Commission, which backed Mr lee. Though the case was staged in Northern Ireland, the ruling will influence decisions made in courts across Britain.
last night critics of the ruling included veteran gay campaigner Peter Tatchell, who said it was a blow to freedom of expression that was ‘open to serious abuse’ by far-right extremists.
The saga began in 2014 when Mr lee, a member of pressure group QueerSpace, ordered the ‘Support Gay Marriage’ cake at an ashers shop. It took the order but later told Mr lee it would not fulfil it. The company said it did not want to support the campaign for same-sex marriage, which remains unlawful in Northern Ireland. yesterday three Court of appeal judges, headed by lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, found ashers had ‘discriminated against [Mr lee] directly on the grounds of sexual orientation contrary to the Equality act (Sexual orientation) regulations 2006.’
The ruling has ‘persuasive precedent’ over other UK courts, meaning that although it does not bind them they must take it into account. Sir Declan said it was wrong to claim ashers was being forced to proclaim a message against its owners’ wishes, adding: ‘The fact that a baker provides a cake for a particular team or portrays witches on a ... cake does not indicate any support for either.’
Mr lee said he was ‘very grateful’ for the ruling. But Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute – which is considering an appeal to the Supreme Court in london – said: ‘It is hard to think...this case would have been brought against a company that was not run by Christians.
‘Equality laws have become a weapon in the hands of those who want to oppress anyone who dissents from the politically correct norms of the moment. To say ... “I’m sorry but whatever you think about the morality of any particular campaign you must get involved with it if asked”, is baffling and frankly oppressive.’
ashers’ general manager, Daniel Mcarthur, added: ‘If equality law means people can be punished for politely refusing to support other people’s causes, then equality law needs to change.’
Mr Tatchell said: ‘Discrimination against lGBT people is wrong and is rightly unlawful. But in a free society, people should be able to discriminate against ideas they disagree with. The judgment opens a can of worms. It means a Muslim printer could be obliged to publish cartoons of Mohammed and a Jewish printer could be required to publish a book that propagates Holocaust denial.’