Christian mayoral candidate wins “substantial pay out” from housing association employer L&Q

A mayoral candidate who expressed Christian beliefs on marriage as part of an election manifesto and was subsequently dismissed by her employer, has received a “substantial” settlement following legal action.

Maureen Martin launched legal action against L&Q on the grounds of “discrimination, harassment, indirect discrimination, and unfair dismissal”, according to legal campaign group Christian Concern.

Martin had worked for L&Q as a housing manager for 13 years. Ahead of last year’s local elections, in her manifesto, Miss Martin had written: “Marriage: I pledge to cut through political correctness and simply state the truth that natural marriage between a man and a woman is the fundamental building block for a successful society, and the safest environment for raising children.”

After distributing the manifesto throughout Lewisham, “anonymous complaints were then made to her employer branding her beliefs as ‘hate speech’, ‘illegal’ and called for her to be disciplined and to take part in ‘anti-oppressive training’”, said Christian Concern.

Martin was suspended, investigated, and then dismissed by L&Q housing association for gross misconduct.

In an investigation meeting, Martin was told that her tweets, which included comments about transgenderism in women’s sport, and her manifesto, were “homophobic, and had breached L&Q’s social media policy and had potentially brought the company into disrepute”, Christian Concern said.

With the support of the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), Martin launched legal action against L&Q arguing that her dismissal was discriminatory and in breach of her right to political speech under Articles 9 and 10 of the ECHR.

CLC argued that L&Q maintained an "entrenched position during disciplinary procedures" and that the protected characteristic of sexual orientation "took priority over that of religion or belief."

Lawyers said that her dismissal was “outside the band of reasonable responses” in all the circumstances of the case.

CLC revealed that in April 2023, Martin received a “substantial” out-of-court settlement from L&Q, adding: “the settlement with Miss Martin takes into account loss of earnings as a result of the sacking, injury to feelings in relation to ‘discriminatory dismissal’ and ‘pre-termination treatment’.”

L&Q has declined to comment.

Lottie Winson