Andy Drozdziak
Catholic peer Lord Alton has blasted an ‘intolerance’ and anti-Christian bias after would-be Lib Dem MP David Campanale was deselected for his Christian beliefs.
Mr Campanale was the Lib Dem prospective candidate for the constituency of Sutton & Cheam, until he was ousted after a campaign from local activists because of his Christian faith. The move, according to some, falls foul of the equality law.
Former Lib Dem Lord Alton blasted the move. He said: “It smacks of the same prejudiced intolerance that increasingly disrespects conscience and has infected too much of politics and our national life.”
The move comes as the ‘cancel culture’ phenomenon continues to grow. Last year, Tory Councillor King Lawal was suspended from Northamptonshire Unitary Council and dismissed as a trustee of a charity, after posting a tweet and a Bible verse about his Christian beliefs. After a gruelling six-month investigation, Councillor Lawal was cleared in February, but there are concerns that Christians are being persecuted because of their faith-especially as the General Election looms.
Lord Alton criticised the Lib Dems for its ‘no platforming, deselection, disrespect of difference, crushing conscience, silencing dissent’. Quoting 19th century Liberal leader William Gladstone, a Christian, he said: “Gladstone said ‘We walk by faith (and) not by sight’ especially ‘those in politics.’ He’d be turning in his grave.”
“Faith was the bedrock of many of the old Liberal Party’s founders and luminaries.”
Complaints against Mr Campanale were made after it emerged that, a decade earlier, he had been a member of the Christian People’s Alliance (CPA), which has campaigned against abortion and gay marriage.
Local party members grilled Mr Campanale about his faith after he was selected to contest the Sutton and Cheam seat in 2021. He said that there was an ‘anti-Christian faction in the Sutton Liberal Democrats’ which he described as ‘a lynch mob that were determined to root me out.’ He was told at one meeting: “We had no idea we were selecting another Tim Farron.” Other comments included “I suppose you think you’re being persecuted, like Jesus was?” whilst another told Mr Campanale: “You’re a liar”. A decision by local party members was eventually taken to deselect him at an extraordinary general meeting in November 2022.
The supporters of Mr Campanale, a former BBC journalist, encouraged the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to carry out an investigation into “multiple alleged breaches of equality law and our party constitution”. These party members have now written to the EHRC.
In the letter, they said: “This evidence depicts a supposedly liberal organisation allowing clear religious discrimination and hostility to thrive within its ranks. It suggests that Mr Campanale was driven out from his democratically elected position not because of any objective failings or wrongdoing but because a vocal group within SBLD [Sutton Borough Liberal Democrats] refused to tolerate his Christian worldview.”
An EHRC spokesman said: “We consider each complaint carefully and take action where appropriate.”
A Lib Dem spokesman denied that the party has a problem with Christians. “The Liberal Democrats are home to people of all faiths and none, including many Christians,” the spokesman said.
“Three Liberal Democrat MPs in neighbouring seats to Sutton and Cheam are practising Christians, including party leader Ed Davey, and the party’s candidate selection is overseen by the Reverend Margaret Joachim.”
Picture: David Campanale