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  "path": "/politics/liberal-democrat-election-candidate-david-campanale-win-legal-battle-christian",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-29T18:03:38.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Emmanuel Macron accused of 'cultural vandalism' over plot to permanently change Notre Dame Cathedral",
    "Iconic English cathedral could face ruin thanks to 'cultural vandalism' VAT raid",
    "IDF launches probe after Israeli soldier 'smashes statue of Jesus Christ in Lebanon'",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
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  "textContent": "\n\n\nA former Liberal Democrat candidate has won a legal challenge against the party after being prevented from standing as an MP because of his Christian beliefs.\n\nDavid Campanale was blocked from sitting as a Liberal Democrat candidate for Sutton and Cheam in the 2024 General Election.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Liberal Democrats accepted they had broken equality law and will now pay damages to Mr Campanale and legal costs, estimated at around £250,000.\n\nThe longtime Lib Dem activist was selected as his party’s parliamentary candidate in their south west London heartland in January 2022, a seat that the Lib Dems went on to win at the general election two years ago.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the legal reports, Luke Taylor, who later replaced Mr Campanale as the candidate, was a key figure identified as a \"ringleader\" in the campaign to deselect the former BBC journalist.\n\nMr Taylor now sits as the Sutton and Cheam MP.\n\nMr Campanale launched a legal campaign, accusing the Liberal Democrat Party of unlawful discrimination against him on account of his Christian beliefs.\n\nThe party, which has acknowledged it violated the equality law between 2022 and 2024, has reported being split over the handling of the case.\n\nQuestions about the judgment of the party leader, Sir Edward Davey, have been raised, GB News understands.\n\nDocuments reveal his office took charge of handling Campanale’s treatment from the very beginning of the dispute back in January 2022.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHowever, Sir Ed allowed the matter to escalate despite the local party chairman's warning that the allegations against Mr Campanale from his opponents were \"baseless and distorted\".\n\nMr Campanale told GB News: \"I know Sir Ed Davey well, having been vice-chair of his own neighbouring constituency party.\n\n\"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.\n\n\"His would-be party of lawmakers have been unmasked as arrogant lawbreakers.\"\n\nThe Liberal Democrats’ legal defence documents explicitly renounce the Party’s Christian roots, declaring it was a \"statement of fact\" the \"party of past prominent Liberal Democrats with Christian beliefs, such as Shirley Williams and Charles Kennedy, was over\".\n\nThe party also told the court it \"had a right to deselect\" candidates who \"expressed religious beliefs\" which conflicted with the fundamental values set out in its charter or agreed policy positions.\n\nDuring his deselection, Mr Campanale was subjected to multiple rounds of interrogation in front of Lib Dem activists, including during interviews and panels.\n\nThe party is understood to have been warned that these hearings were unlawful at the time.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:\n\n\n\n\n  * Emmanuel Macron accused of 'cultural vandalism' over plot to permanently change Notre Dame Cathedral\n  * Iconic English cathedral could face ruin thanks to 'cultural vandalism' VAT raid\n  * IDF launches probe after Israeli soldier 'smashes statue of Jesus Christ in Lebanon'\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDuring a two-hour session shortly after selection at the home of local party president, Lord Tope, Mr Campanale is understood to have been repeatedly harassed for his Christian beliefs.\n\nThe meeting, described as a \"kangaroo court\" and \"mob rule\" by Sutton Lib Dem chair Sally Ericsson, the former BBC journalist, was asked if he was enjoying his \"martyrdom, just like Jesus\".\n\nMr Campanale claims that he was told to abandon his views on non-whipped issues in Parliament, like abortion, or risk activists boycotting his candidacy.\n\nHe also said that during party campaign events, young LGBT Lib Dems demanded \"trigger warnings\" due to the candidates Christians beliefs.\n\nIn a court order sealed by His Honour Judge Johns KC, the party admitted that its conduct constituted unlawful religious discrimination.\n\nThe party admitted multiple breaches of the Equality Act 2010, including harassment and victimisation.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIt accepted it had allowed Mr Campanale to be \"mocked and abused in relation to his beliefs\".\n\nMr Taylor, who is mentioned multiple times in the court documents, was promoted by Sir Ed Davey and is now the party’s spokesman for London.\n\nMr Campanale’s barrister, Alasdair Henderson, the Equality and Human Rights Commissioner, said it was \"extremely disappointing\" that the Liberal Democrats had failed to uphold the law over such a long period.\n\nMr Henderson, who led the investigation into antisemitism in the Labour Party, added: \"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.\n\n\"It is extremely disappointing to see any political party failing to uphold the law in this way.\n\n\"Hopefully, the Liberal Democrats will learn from this case and clearly re-affirm that they welcome members from any faith, will prohibit all forms of unlawful discrimination, and will protect freedom of conscience at all levels of the party.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Campanale added: \"For this victory, I thank God, my legal team at Ai Law and my supporters, especially Sir Simon Hughes and friends in the Lib Dem Christian Forum, who stood by me throughout.\n\n\"I also thank the 1,514 people who crowdfunded my case through CitizenGo.\n\n\"It’s time for all political parties to recognise Christianity as the foundation of Britain's democracy. For this reason, the historic faith of our nation must be celebrated - and defended.\"\n\nA Liberal Democrat spokesman said: \"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.\n\n\"Three Liberal Democrat MPs in neighbouring seats to Sutton and Cheam are practising Christians, including party leader Ed Davey.\"\n\nLuke Taylor MP has also been contacted for comment.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**\n**\n\n**\n**\n\n**\n**\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Lib Dem election candidate paid £250,000 in damages after being blocked from standing as MP due to Christian beliefs"
}