Liberal Democrats Admit Enforcing Secular Orthodoxy, Discriminating Against Christian Candidate
The Liberal Democrats admitted in court to discriminating against a Christian parliamentary candidate over his faith, confirming a shift toward enforced secular orthodoxy that cost the party more than £250,000.
David Campanale spent four years fighting to prove what party members whispered at meetings: The Liberal Democrats deselected him because of his Christian faith. His persistence won. The party admitted in court it discriminated against him, confirming a shift toward enforced secular orthodoxy that declares its historically Christian wing "over."
The admission arrived at Central London County Court on April 7, sealed after His Honour Judge Johns KC confirmed the Liberal Democrats breached the Equality Act 2010. The court found the party guilty of direct discrimination, harassment, indirect discrimination, victimisation and breach of contract. The legal costs alone will exceed £250,000.
Campanale had been a devoted member. He campaigned for the party since 1982, won the Sutton and Cheam selection contest with two-thirds support in December 2021 and served as vice-chair of Ed Davey's neighbouring constituency party.
"The Liberal Democrats have admitted that Mr Campanale was subject to several significant acts of unlawful direct and indirect discrimination because of his Christian beliefs, as well as victimisation when he tried to engage the party's internal processes to defend himself," said Alasdair Henderson QC, Campanale's barrister and an Equality and Human Rights Commission commissioner. "It is extremely disappointing to see any political party failing to uphold the law in this way."
The hostility began at a January 29, 2022 meeting in the home of Lord Tope. Approximately 30 members interrogated Campanale about his faith for two hours. Luke Taylor, now the Liberal Democrat MP for Sutton and Cheam, sent a WhatsApp message before the gathering that set the tone: "You preparing for the Spanish Inquisition this afternoon?"
Party members asked Campanale if he was "enjoying his martyrdom just like Jesus did." They branded him a "Christian nutter" for stating he would "vote with my conscience" on extending abortion time limits. Internal emails show Ed Davey's office handled the discrimination case from January 2022, though party sources insist matters were dealt with locally.
"I didn't know that Maoist struggle sessions really were a thing — until I met the cadre of Sutton LibDems," Campanale told Inside Croydon. "People literally stood at meetings and read out denunciations and asked me to agree. Against my conscience!"
Taylor made the party's position explicit during a 70-minute phone call on March 8, 2022. He told Campanale the Liberal Democrats were building a "secular party" and that the party of Christian figures Shirley Williams and Charles Kennedy "was over." Taylor stated Campanale had "no right to a conscience based on his Christian faith" on policy matters. The party's own defence document admitted Taylor's statement about the Christian-friendly party ending was "a statement of fact reflecting the current policy platforms and public political stance of the Liberal Democrats."
"You are religious, we are rational. My values are secular. My founding beliefs are evidence based. Yours are religious," Taylor told Campanale on May 22, 2022. Taylor also said, "I will not appear in a leaflet with you. I will not handle or distribute literature with you in it."
The discrimination spread beyond Sutton and Cheam. Young Liberal Democrats demanded "trigger warnings" before campaign events where they might encounter Campanale. An internal party investigation in October 2023 found "antagonism from local activists and councillors" and "illiberal attitude" marked by "intolerance and hostility" toward Campanale's Christian faith.
"Ed Davey owes David Campanale an apology. He's clearly been discriminated against for his Christian beliefs," said Lord Young of Acton, general secretary of the Free Speech Union. "The Lib Dems wouldn't discriminate against a Muslim, a Hindu or Sikh because of their religious faith. Why are Christians the only faith community not welcome in the party?"
Campanale did not fight alone. He crowdfunded the case from approximately 1,500 supporters through CitizenGo. More than 20,000 people signed a petition calling for his reinstatement, supported by the Bishops of Winchester and Guildford and former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Williams.
"The deselection of David Campanale on the grounds of his beliefs alone is shockingly illiberal," said Bishop Philip Mounstephen of Winchester. "On this basis Gladstone wouldn't have been allowed to stand in Sutton & Cheam."
Taylor, who led the discriminatory campaign, replaced Campanale as candidate. He won the Sutton and Cheam seat in July 2024 and now serves as Davey's London spokesperson. Taylor has not commented publicly on the court admission and is not seeking re-election as a councillor in upcoming local elections. Lord Tope and Sutton party chair Jason Stone stepped down at a November 2025 party AGM.
"Whether or not one supports all David Campanale's convictions (I disagree strongly on some things), is political allegiance now a matter of enforced orthodoxy on non-political or marginally political issues as well?" asked Lord Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Campanale case follows a pattern of Christian marginalization within the Liberal Democrats. Tim Farron resigned as party leader in June 2017, stating it was "impossible" to reconcile being a "faithful Christian" with leading a progressive party. Rob Flello, a former Labour MP who switched to the Liberal Democrats in 2019, was deselected within 36 hours because of his socially conservative Catholic views on same-sex marriage and abortion.
"I know Sir Ed Davey well, having been vice-chair of his own neighbouring constituency party," Campanale said. "Despite Ed having criticised 'growing intolerance within progressive, liberal parties the world over', he has overseen disgraceful discrimination in his own party and on his own doorstep. His would-be party of lawmakers have been unmasked as arrogant lawbreakers."
The Liberal Democrat Christian Forum called for an independent investigation into the discrimination claims. Olivia Honeyman, the forum's chair, stated, "This case is not just about Sutton and Cheam. It exposes failings at multiple levels in the Party — local, regional and State, which have all discriminated by their actions or lack of actions."
Campanale refused offers to remain as candidate if he would repudiate his beliefs. "I said, you can offer me anything you like but I will not sacrifice or trade my conscience for anything in the world," he told Premier Christian News. "I'm not bitter that I went down for the sake of the unborn child. I will not be pressured into voting for issues that are contrary to Christian teaching."
A Liberal Democrat spokesperson declined to comment, stating, "This is an ongoing legal case so it would not be appropriate to comment. The Liberal Democrats are home to people of all faiths and none, including many Christians. Three Liberal Democrat MPs in neighbouring seats to Sutton and Cheam are practising Christians, including party leader Ed Davey."
The June 2026 damages assessment hearing will determine final costs beyond the £250,000 already incurred. Campanale reflected on what the ordeal cost him, and what it revealed about the party that once claimed tolerance as its virtue.
"The tragedy is if this illiberalism had not been allowed to fester and cause so much damage to the party's national reputation, I would be approaching my second year as the Member of Parliament," Campanale said.