The Liberal Democrats have admitted breaching the human rights of an award-winning former BBC journalist by deselecting him as a parliamentary candidate over his Christian views.
In a landmark case, Sir Ed Davey’s party has agreed to pay damages to David Campanale after it admitted to multiple counts of unlawful religious discrimination against him by a rival whom he had roundly defeated in the race to be the candidate for Sutton and Cheam ahead of the 2024 election. He is also pursuing costs, which he claims are currently more than £250,000.
In admitting the claim in its entirety, the Lib Dems have accepted all the claims of repeated breaches of the law by MP Luke Taylor, who had come third in the selection process but, after forcing out Mr Campanale, replaced him on the day the election was called and went on to win the seat.
Mr Taylor, now the party’s spokesperson for London, is named multiple times in court papers.
However, a party source noted that it was local party members who deselected Mr Campanale, not Mr Taylor.
The issue was raised during the general election by the bishops of Winchester and Guildford, as well as former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.
It has prompted criticism from within the party, with former MP and ex-deputy leader Sir Simon Hughes protesting over the ex-journalist’s treatment.
The drama took place in a south London target seat for the Lib Dems bordering Sir Ed’s own Kingston constituency.
Mr Campanale’s barrister is Alasdair Henderson, a commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, who led the investigation into antisemitism in the Labour Party.
He said it was “extremely disappointing” that the Lib Dems had failed to uphold the law over such a long period.
In the party’s defence document, the Lib Dems took the extraordinary step of renouncing traditional Christian roots, declaring it was a “statement of fact” that the “party of past prominent Liberal Democrats with Christian beliefs, such as Shirley Williams and Charles Kennedy, was over”.
The party also initially claimed it “had a right to deselect” candidates who “expressed religious beliefs”.
Mr Henderson said: “The Liberal Democrats have admitted that Mr Campanale was subject to several significant acts of unlawful direct and indirect discrimination because of his Christian beliefs, as well as victimisation when he tried to engage the party’s internal processes to defend himself. It is extremely disappointing to see any political party failing to uphold the law in this way.
“Hopefully, the Liberal Democrats will learn from this case and clearly reaffirm that they welcome members from any faith, will prohibit all forms of unlawful discrimination, and will protect freedom of conscience at all levels of the party.”
In his response to the party’s admission to the court of all the allegations, Mr Campanale said: “I know Sir Ed Davey well, having been vice-chair of his own neighbouring constituency party. Despite Ed having criticised ‘growing intolerance within progressive, liberal parties the world over’, he has overseen disgraceful discrimination in his own party and on his own doorstep. His would-be party of lawmakers have been unmasked as arrogant lawbreakers.”
A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “This is an ongoing legal case so it would not be appropriate to comment.
“The Liberal Democrats are home to people of all faiths and none, including many Christians. Three Liberal Democrat MPs in neighbouring seats to Sutton and Cheam are practising Christians, including party leader Ed Davey.”
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