A British politician is suing the Liberal Democrat party for discriminating against him because of his pro-life religious beliefs.
The Telegraph reports Robert Flello, a former Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, planned to run as a Liberal Democrat in the current election.
The party initially chose him on Nov. 9 as its candidate for the seat in the general election this week; but just 48 hours before the filing deadline, it de-selected him because his pro-life views are “not those that would be expected of a liberal,” according to the Church Militant.
Flello converted to Christianity several years ago from atheism. He believes that an unborn baby deserves a right to life, and abortion is wrong.
“It is a tragedy for democracy that I am having to pursue a discrimination case against the Liberal Democrats because they don’t like the views of a practicing Catholic,” Flello said. The party is “neither liberal or democratic and therefore I need to take a stand as much as anything for the sake of British democracy.”
His lawyers said the party decision was a clear breach of the British Equality Act, which prohibits religious discrimination.
However, a spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat party defended their actions, saying Flello’s “values diverge from ours,” according to the Church Militant.
Here’s more from the report:
The spokesperson said Flello was “directly associating himself with comments and causes” and so had “put himself outside the standards we would expect for a Liberal Democrat candidate.”
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Flello hit back, saying he was ousted from candidacy because “they don’t like the views of a practicing Catholic,” asking: “Is there really no place in British politics for Catholics or Christians who won’t conform?…
“It seems that you can be a Christian as long as you are a compliant Christian who goes along with what they say. But if you in any way want to defend the Faith, then that’s it. Your card is marked and out you go.”
The Liberal Democrat and Labour parties in England both support legalized abortions for basically any reason up to birth. Earlier this year, they voted to force Northern Ireland to legalize abortions.
Abortions are legal for any reason up to 24 weeks in England and up to birth in certain circumstances, including non-fatal fetal anomalies.
