Judge in Christian case is removed over ‘LGBT bias’

A FORMER president of the TUC has been removed from the judging panel of an employment tribunal concerning a Christian social worker because of fears he could be perceived as biased against him.

Mohammad Taj was recused from the tribunal of Felix Ngole in Leeds after lawyers raised concerns about the panel member’s pro-LGBT leanings.

Mr Ngole, 46, from Barnsley, is suing the NHS-backed care firm Touchstone Support after claiming he was denied his dream job because of his strong Christian beliefs.

He had been offered a role as a mental health support worker but says the offer was rescinded after bosses discovered he had been involved in a legal case over his right to free speech.

Mr Ngole’s lawyers, from the Christian Legal Centre, made an application asking Mr Taj – sitting as a lay judge – to recuse himself from presiding on the case, saying his past comments on LGBT issues could lead to a perception of bias. Deciding on the application, employment judge Jonathan Brain ruled that ‘Mr Taj shall be recused’, adding that his campaigning through the unions ‘went beyond equality’ and ‘beyond equality treatment’.

Mr Taj served as president of the Trades Union Congress from 2013 to 2014.

This is the second time in a month that a tribunal concerning a Christian employee has been disrupted because of the issue of perceived bias. A whole panel in Nottingham recused themselves due to a ‘perception of bias’ in the case of a Christian teacher.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: ‘In recent months, the Christian Legal Centre has uncovered bias in four cases.

‘This should trouble everyone who cares about open and transparent justice.’