Christian registrar refused permission to appeal to Supreme Court

Christian registrar Lillian Ladele has been refused permission to appeal to the Supreme Court over claims that Islington Council discriminated against her by asking her to perform civil partnership ceremonies.

The Court of Appeal unanimously ruled in December that she was not a victim of direct or indirect discrimination, agreeing with the judgment of Mr Justice Elias at the EAT.

Giving judgment in Ladele v London Borough of Islington [2009] EWCA Civ 1357, Lord Neuberger, Master of the Rolls, said that under the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 it was 'simply unlawful' for Ladele to refuse to perform civil partnerships.

Lord Neuberger, Lady Justice Smith and Lord Justice Dyson dismissed the appeal (see solicitorsjournal.com 15 December 2009).

The Supreme Court is said to have rejected her claim on the grounds that it did not raise a point of law of general public importance.

Ladele is reported as saying her religious rights had been 'trampled by another set of rights' and to be considering taking her legal battle to Europe.

Andrea Williams, director of the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), described the Supreme Court's decision as 'extraordinary'.

She went on: 'This is about a Christian's conscience and ability to work without contravening her conscience.

'The court has said that this was not of general public importance. It is for all those who hold orthodox beliefs on church sexual ethics.'

Williams said Islington Council could have offered Ladele redeployment rather than sack her.

She added that the CLC was acting for another Christian registrar at Islington, Theresa Davies, whose case was stayed pending resolution of the Ladele case and was yet to reach an employment tribunal.