Former Archbishop questions Lib Dems’ stance on Christian values

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Baron Williams of Oystermouth, has questioned the Liberal Democrats’ position on religious beliefs amid legal motion by a former parliamentary candidate who claims he was deselected due to his Christian faith. 

David Campanale is taking legal motion against the party for alleged breaches of the Equality Act 2010 after he was deselected because the candidate for Sutton and Cheam and replaced by Luke Taylor.

In legal documents submitted to the county court, the Lib Dems defended its actions, claiming that Campanale’s “expressed religious beliefs against abortion, gay marriage and legal sex change conflicted with the elemental values set out” within the party’s constitutional documents. 

Baron Williams questioned whether a Christian or other person of religion could represent the party. 

In comments to The Telegraph, he said the party’s stance in its court filings suggested that “total agreement in private and in public is demanded”.

“The Liberal Democrat Party’s response to Campanale’s legal challenge has been to say that reservations about – for instance – abortion or same-sex marriage are in conflict with ‘fundamental values’ held by the party,” Williams told the newspaper.

“If it’s indeed inconceivable even to carry dissenting views, this should make it inconceivable for Orthodox Jews and most Muslims in addition to Catholic and other Christians to represent the party. Is this really what the Lib Dems are saying?

“You may or may not agree with the non-public beliefs of David Campanale – I share some but under no circumstances all of them – however the precedent is a worrying one.”

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has previously said that some issues like abortion and euthanasia must remain “problems with conscience”, and that the best of MPs to vote freely on the premise of spiritual or ethical concerns “have to be defended”.