A Christian magistrate Richard Page, dismissed for saying it was better for children to be bought up by a father and mother rather than a gay couple.
Page criticised Mr Lord Chancellor Michael Gove for failing to stand up for the rights of Christians to express their religious beliefs, and said he would challenge the ‘intolerant’ decision in court.
Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, he said: ‘It does annoy me that people who say they have Christian views are getting at me for my Christian views, and that includes Michael Gove.’
Mr Gove and the Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas said, Mr Page was being dismissed because he would be regarded as being ‘biased and prejudiced against single sex adopters’ and his views brought magistrates’ courts into disrepute.
“This case shows the ugly face of the LGBTQ lobby that is incapable of tolerating anyone brave enough to challenge their lifestyle. The lobby will not be satisfied until they have eliminated any whiff of dissent in public life. They are the bullies.”
Laws allowing gay couples to adopt were introduced in 2002, with the numbers of such adoptions soaring. A number of celebrity same-sex couples promoted the adoptions, including Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish who in 2013 adopted their second child.
NHS Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt sacked Page from non-executive director. Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) claimed his stance “undermined” the confidence of staff, particularly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Page said, that he was ‘very disappointed’ by the judgment and intends to appeal and Andrea Williams, head of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Mr Page, said the judgment amounted to a ‘perverse attempt to silence Christian beliefs.
Mr Page had worked over 20 years as an NHS finance director before retiring and taking up part-time role as a non-executive director at Kent and Medway in 2012.
I will be bringing a claim of discrimination, harassment and victimisation against the NHS Trust Development Authority, a regulatory body, under the Equality Act 2010.
Paul Diamond, human rights lawyer is to take Page case to an employment tribunal, where he will argue that he is facing religious discrimination. Page legal advisers are also examining the possibility of launching a judicial review against Mr Gove’s decision.
Page said, I am horrified by the way things are going, now day’s society also becoming increasingly anti-Christian because Christianity is being marginalised. Christians are finding it very difficult to discuss their views because they fear they will be ostracised.
The former magistrate, who also works for an NHS trust, is expected to say other judges have spoken out and not faced sanctions, and that there is no evidence the views he voiced on a BBC Breakfast show in March last year had damaged the reputation of the courts. Magistrates should be allowed to represent a range of views in society.
