A Christian electrician has been granted the right to sue the NHS for discrimination by arguing that his opposition to gay marriage amounts to a religious belief.
Brian Walker, who worked at Southmead Hospital in Bristol before resigning in 2020, claims he was treated unfairly by the health service for expressing ‘traditional biblical’ views to colleagues.
The North Bristol NHS Trust ordered Mr Walker to undertake equality and diversity training and gave him a final written warning after a colleague said he had made comments about same sex relationships, mixed race relationships and Muslims.
He resigned from his role after he was told his appeal against that decision had been rejected.
Mr Walker claims that 'the attention and priority given in many sections of modern society to inclusivity and positive action in favour of non-Christian faiths, minority sexual orientations, and transgenderism, is excessive and unhealthy'.
Among his other beliefs are his opposition to same sex unions and homosexual acts, as he believes 'marriage is a divinely instituted union between one man and one woman'. Walker also said he was opposed to 'the growing influence of Islam in Britain and other countries'.
His belief that his ‘conservative Christian social values’ and ‘Christian sexual ethics based on the Bible’ are equivalent to protected philosophies will now be tested at an employment tribunal after a judge ruled his case can be heard.
The NHS argued Mr Walker's claim should be struck out on the grounds his beliefs were ‘not worthy of respect in a democratic society’, were ‘incompatible with human dignity’ and ‘conflicted with the fundamental rights of others’.
But at a preliminary hearing, Judge Derek Reed dismissed the NHS’s submission and ordered a full hearing of the case should now go ahead in the autumn.
Christian electrician Brian Walker has been given the right to sue the NHS - his former employers - after arguing his conservative Christian views are equivalent to protected philosophies
The tribunal was told that Mr Walker had been employed at Southmead Hospital in Bristol for two years when he had an argument with a female healthcare assistant who complained about him in May 2018.
She claimed he had been ‘aggressive’ and had made comments about same sex relationships, mixed race relationships and Muslims.
She said he had stated that he believed ‘same-sex marriage was contrary to biblical teaching’.
In June, Mr Walker, 66, was spoken to about these matters, before he lodged a grievance with the Trust on August 1, 2018.
He claimed the comments made by him were not intended to be racist or offensive but he was ‘exercising his freedom of speech’ by sharing his ‘traditional biblical values, particularly regarding marriage’.
Following the grievance being investigated, Mr Walker was suspended pending a full disciplinary investigation.
By August 2019, the investigation against Mr Walker was concluded and he was ordered to undertake equality and diversity training as
