TRIBUNAL RULES AGAINST REAL MARRIAGE SUPPORTER

News

Christian social worker Felix Ngole says he will appeal a “chilling” employment tribunal ruling that found a charity was justified in not offering him a job due to his views on same-sex ‘marriage’.

Mr Ngole was initially offered a role at Touchstone Leeds in 2022 after being deemed the “best qualified” of 16 candidates. However, the ‘health and wellbeing’ provider revoked the offer when it learned he had won a court case against Sheffield University for discriminating against him for upholding real marriage.

When he questioned the U-turn, Mr Ngole was invited back for a second interview but told if he couldn’t show how he would “embrace and promote homosexual rights”, he wouldn’t get the job. Mr Ngole was not given an offer after this interview.

Alarmingly, the tribunal found Touchstone’s decision was justified. Judge Jonathan Brain said the charity had “[w]ell-founded concerns that others (in particular service users) may come across his beliefs which may be harmful to their already vulnerable mental health”.

The judge claimed Mr Ngole’s views “might deter mentally [ill] people of the LGBTQI+ community from engaging with [Touchstone’s] services risking [its] ability to perform its core healthcare functions and risking significant reputational damage”.

Mr Ngole, who is backed by the Christian Legal Centre, says he now has “no choice” but to appeal due to the ruling’s “many disturbing comments and conclusions”.

Defenders of real marriage in recent years have won numerous legal victories, underlining our right to express support for traditional marriage without fear of penalty or discrimination.

At C4M we back Felix in his appeal of this worrying ruling. We trust that the higher court will recognise that the implied employment ban on proponents of real marriage cannot be allowed to stand.