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Registrar who refused same-sex weddings takes case to Court of Appeal
Bo Wilson2 Nov 2009
A registrar who claims she was discriminated against by her council employers for refusing to conduct same-sex civil partnerships is today taking her case to the Court of Appeal.
Lillian Ladele, 48, a Christian, said she could not "marry" gay couples "as a matter of religious conscience".
She claims the ensuing "harassment and bullying" she suffered at the hands of Islington council, her employers, amounted to unlawful discrimination.
An employment tribunal found that the council unlawfully discriminated against her but this was overturned last year by an employment appeal tribunal.
Today Ms Ladele, of Finsbury, took the case to the Court of Appeal to overturn the second tribunal.
She claims she suffered ridicule and bullying as a result of her stance and said she had been harassed and discriminated against by the council. She had been employed by Islington since 1992, and became a registrar in November 2002 dealing with births, marriages and deaths.
But in 2006 when the council said all registrars must carry out same-sex civil partnerships she refused on the grounds of her religious beliefs.
She was switched to other duties and remained employed until the end ofSeptember this year but is now out of work.
The employment appeal tribunal ruled last year that the earlier tribunal had "erred in law" and there was no basis for concluding that any "discrimination had been established".
The decision stated: "The council were not taking disciplinary action against Ms Ladele for holding her religious beliefs.
"They did so because she was refusing to carry out civil partnership ceremonies and this involved discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.
"The council were entitled to take the view that they were not willing to connive in that practice by relieving Ms Ladele of the duties, notwithstanding that her refusal was the result of her strong and genuinely held Christian beliefs."
Reader views (8)
Ladele is a christian she as every right to refuse this nonsence.More power to her elbow I say.
- Liam O'Hara, plympton england, 09/03/2010 21:32
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This woman deserves to lose her case again. If somebody refused to serve her in a shop because she was black and it was against their political beliefs, she would take action against them and rightly so. It's the same thing with her job as a registrar. She has a public duty to perform (and at £31K a year, she is amply paid for it) and cannot be allowed to discriminate on any grounds. If she is no longer willing to carry out her job then she should leave and work somewhere else.
- Sandra, Leeds, UK, 09/12/2009 22:53
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"Ken, Bexleyheath"
People who work for Councils are not civil servants. But if she thinks her faith is a barrier to carrying out part of her job, she should ask for a transfer to a different job.
There is a need to uphold traditional moral values; in this case, that who other adults are sleeping with isn't usually anybody else's business.
- Alan Griffiths, Forest Gate, LONDON, 02/11/2009 23:41
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we are free to choose our religion and we are free to choose our careers, but we are not free to choose our sexuality. Lets hope the judge sees sense
- Marc Stone, London uk, 02/11/2009 16:30
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This woman should never have been employed by the council as the council provides services to all its council tax payers,not just the people whom this woman thinks should receive those services.This woman should seriously consider the examples she is setting to others,prejudice and discrimination are evil.
- Kev, London-UK, 02/11/2009 16:20
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In 1969 in Virgina, USA, there was a court case of Loving v the State. A black woman and a white man had to leave the State to get married or be arrested. That case saw the outlawing, eventually, in America, of the ban against black and white marriages.
Guess what? Last month, a Louisiana JP refused a licence to marry a black and white couple, stating that mixed race marriages don't work. Again, wheels of the law are rumbling as a court case is in motion. Like the Louisiana fellow, this London registrar is not paid by her Govt to pick and choose who she feels is deserving of the lawful duties that she must carry out.
Lillian Ladele should go and listen to the newly released song by American singer Nancy Griffith; it's called The Loving Kind. Recorded as a tribute to Mildred Loving who died not long ago. Lillian might learn about prejudice, those who fight it - and maybe she'll reflect on the adaptability of the Christian spirit.
- Patricia, London, 02/11/2009 15:53
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I agree with Ken, this is a silly as if a check out operator refused to sell alcohol because it was against their religion ??
- Jack At Sea, Gosport UK, 02/11/2009 15:40
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Civil servants are civil servants. That's what they are employed as, no matter what their own personal beliefs. In this particular case, one sympathises with Ladele. But she has to do her job, no matter what she feels. Otherwise, she has to resign. It really is not that difficult. Why the big fuss?
- Ken, Bexleyheath, 02/11/2009 14:52
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