Lib Dem MP defends inclusivity of all faiths after Christian candidate barred from standing

The Liberal Democrats have admitted to unlawfully discriminating against a former parliamentary candidate on the grounds of his Christian beliefs, after a four-year legal battle that has left the party facing damages and costs estimated at more than £250,000.

David Campanale, a former BBC journalist, was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Sutton and Cheam in 2021 but was deselected in August 2023. In a court admission this week, the party accepted it had breached the Equality Act 2010 — specifically through direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation — over objections to Campanale’s opposition to abortion and assisted suicide.

Equality law and its implications for candidate selection

The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person because of their religion or belief in the provision of services, employment, and other areas — including political party candidate selection. The Liberal Democrats’ admission that they broke this law is significant because it directly challenges the party’s longstanding claim to be a champion of tolerance and pluralism.

In their initial defence, the party argued that Campanale had not been transparent about his Christian beliefs and his past association with the Christian People’s Alliance, and that his views conflicted with party values. More strikingly, the party’s legal team claimed it was a “statement of fact” that the era of prominent Christian Liberal Democrats such as Shirley Williams and Charles Kennedy was “over”. That assertion has been seized upon by critics as evidence of institutional hostility toward religious faith within the party.

The Liberal Democrat Christian Forum (LDCF) has written to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) requesting an investigation into the party’s handling of the case, describing it as “egregious and offensive to the core principles of equality”. The forum has called for a formal apology to Campanale and an end to what it terms “secular bigotry”.

The case raises serious questions about whether Christians can safely stand as Liberal Democrat candidates. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams, previously commented that it “may be impossible” for Christians to stand for the party. Campanale himself has alleged that he faced intense scrutiny, harassment, and mockery from a group of secularist activists, describing the experience as akin to the “Spanish Inquisition”. He claimed to have been interrogated, excluded from party meetings and literature, and told not to campaign in certain wards.

Under the terms of the legal settlement, the Liberal Democrats will pay damages to Campanale and cover his legal costs, with the total bill expected to exceed £250,000. The party has also admitted to direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation — the full range of religious discrimination claims under the Equality Act. The admission was made in court in April 2026, four years after Campanale first raised formal complaints, which were initially dismissed.

Party response: Lisa Smart MP defends record

When questioned about the case in a recent interview, the Liberal Democrat MP for Hazel Grove, Lisa Smart, attempted to steer clear of commenting on the specific legal outcome. “My understanding is that that’s an ongoing legal case. And so you wouldn’t expect me to say anything about that,” she said.

Pressed on the party’s attitude toward Christians, Ms Smart insisted the Liberal Democrats “very strongly welcome people of all faiths, including Christianity”. She pointed to the party’s stance on abortion and assisted suicide as matters of conscience that are not whipped, saying: “Rightly, those issues are matters of conscience, and so we don’t whip on any of those issues.”

The interviewer, GB News presenter Camilla Tominey, challenged her directly: “You’ve admitted religious discrimination against David Campanelli, so in his case, you weren’t tolerant at all.” Ms Smart responded: “We shouldn’t be discriminating against any part of our society, particularly within political parties, for religious views they hold.”

When asked whether the party would have a problem with a Muslim candidate who held the same views on abortion and assisted dying, Ms Smart repeated that such issues are matters of conscience, noting that she had heard Liberal Democrat colleagues speak on both sides of a recent parliamentary debate on decriminalising abortion.

Candidate’s criticism: ‘Disgraceful discrimination’

David Campanale has been scathing in his assessment of the party’s leadership. He said Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who is himself a Christian, has “overseen disgraceful discrimination in his own party and on his own doorstep”. Campanale noted that Sir Ed’s office was reportedly aware of the issue as early as January 2022, yet the deselection went ahead.

“His would-be party of lawmakers have been unmasked as arrogant lawbreakers,” Campanale said. He described his treatment as “nasty and unacceptable” and “religiously aggravated harassment”, adding that he was removed solely because he intended to follow his Christian conscience on non-whipped issues. He has accused the party of harbouring an “intolerant left” within its ranks.

Campanale’s legal claim named the candidate who replaced him, Luke Taylor, who went on to win the Sutton and Cheam seat for the Liberal Democrats in the July 2024 general election with a majority of 3,801 under revised constituency boundaries. Campanale said Taylor should not be a lawmaker. Taylor has not commented publicly on the outcome of the case.

The case echoes previous controversies within the party, notably the resignation of former leader Tim Farron in 2017, who said he found it difficult to reconcile his Christian faith with leading a “progressive liberal party” and felt subject to suspicion. A petition calling for Campanale’s reinstatement attracted more than 20,000 signatures.

Campanale’s barrister, Alasdair Henderson — himself a commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission — described the case outcome as “extremely disappointing” and expressed hope that the Liberal Democrats would learn from the episode. The party has issued a circular to members reminding them to “be liberal” in order to avoid further legal costs. Whether that will be enough to restore confidence among Christians in the party remains uncertain.