UKIP wants legal protection for traditional marriage supporters

The UK Independence Party has expressed support for “reasonable accommodation” in law to protect freedom of conscience on the issue of same-sex marriage.

The UKIP Christian manifesto pledges to extend the legal concept of ‘reasonable accommodation’ “to give protection in law to those expressing a religious conscience in the workplace” on the issue of same-sex marriage.

In response, a spokesman for gay rights group Stonewall recognised that, “no individual should be sacked simply for expressing their views on same-sex marriage in a respectful way”.

But in practice, many people have been punished for expressing their traditional marriage views in the public square.

For example, marriage registrar Lillian Ladele was pushed out of her job after Islington Borough Council refused to accommodate her religious objections to same-sex civil partnerships.

And last year, a grandfather who spent almost 20 years volunteering for the Red Cross was dropped by the organisation for opposing gay marriage.

In the run up to the General Election, Ed Miliband and David Cameron voiced support for freedom of religion, but have failed to promise reasonable accommodation in law if their parties came into power.

Politicians need to heed the concerns of ordinary citizens who simply want to be free to express their views about marriage in the public square.

These same ordinary citizens will take to the polls next week to take part in deciding who will be running the country next.