How much is a career in politics worth? The Liberal Democrats, despite admitting claims of religious discrimination, say about £22,800. A former Lib Dem candidate claims £790,000.
It is a question before the Central London county court after David Campanale argued that discrimination against his Christianity cost him his political career in a civil case against the party.
Campanale, a former BBC journalist, was selected in 2021 as the party’s candidate for Sutton and Cheam, but was removed in August 2023.
The Liberal Democrats have admitted claims of direct and indirect discrimination on grounds of religion or belief under the Equality Act and their failure to deal with complaints Campanale made about his treatment, leaving the amount of damages to be determined by the court.
Campanale’s schedule of loss, seen by the Guardian, puts his claim at £788,740.75, including interest. It seeks compensation for injury to feelings, aggravated damages, past and future earnings, the loss of an MP’s pension, counselling costs and the “loss of a chance”, or “loss of political capital”.
But in a counter-schedule filed on Friday, the Lib Dems described Campanale’s claim as “grossly inflated and egregious”. Their lawyers say £14,000 should be awarded for injury to feelings, and as a volunteer political party member, Campanale could have been expected to withstand “rigorous political debate and criticism”. They put aggravated damages, past and future loss of earnings, an MP’s pension and the loss of political capital at £0.
Campanale says he was mocked and abused over his Christian beliefs and faced an organised campaign to remove him, while some activists refused to campaign for him.
In his claim Campanale said that at a meeting in January 2022, he was questioned about his Christianity by about 30 people and asked whether he was enjoying his “martyrdom just like Jesus did”. He also claims he was excluded from election leaflets and told not to campaign in certain wards because activists disagreed with his beliefs.
His claim also referred to a phone call in March 2022 in which he said Luke Taylor, his replacement, told him that he had no right to a conscience based on his faith and that a “secular party” was being built with no place for Christians.
After Campanale was removed, Taylor won the seat with a majority of 3,801. The seat has since become safer territory for the Lib Dems with recent polls putting them well ahead of the Conservatives.
The case has prompted criticism from senior Liberal Democrat figures inside and outside the party. The former leader Tim Farron and former deputy leader Simon Hughes have backed calls for an independent inquiry. Farron has urged the party to apologise, saying there had been “manifest discrimination” against Campanale and party figures at all levels of the party failed to intervene.
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Rowan Williams, the former archbishop of Canterbury, warned the position taken by the Liberal Democrats could make it “impossible” for Christians and people with other strong religious beliefs to represent the party.
Before admitting the claims, the Lib Dems said in their defence that the party could deselect candidates where the expression of religious beliefs conflicted with its policies or values. The Lib Dems defence also described as a “statement of fact” the claim that the era associated with prominent Christian Liberal Democrats such as Shirley Williams and Charles Kennedy was over.
A Lib Dem spokesperson said before their submitted counter-schedule: “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.”
