INSIDE SUTTON: Following a four-year battle, David Campanale is claiming complete victory over the Liberal Democrats who waged a vindictive campaign against him as their own political candidate, all because of his Christian beliefs. By ROSE HILL
Court winner: David Campanale is waiting for a ruling on damages and costs owed him by the LibDems
With local elections just seven days away, the Liberal Democrats in Sutton have been struck a significant blow as one of their highest profile councillors, Luke Taylor, has been identified as “the main instigator” in a case of religious discrimination.
Taylor was elected MP for Sutton and Cheam at the 2024 General Election, but only after his party chose him to replace the originally selected candidate, David Campanale.
Today, Campanale said of MP Taylor, “He should not be a lawmaker”.
Campanale has been fighting a four-year legal battle over his mistreatment at the hands of Sir Ed Davey’s party, following a campaign by Sutton LibDems to oust him as their parliamentary candidate, in part because of his past involvement with the anti-abortion Christian People’s Alliance. The CPA is a fringe, right-wing group which opposes abortion and whose leadership has in the past compared gay rights activists to Nazis
Campanale’s discrimination case was brought before His Honour Judge Johns KC in the Central London County Court on The Strand. Earlier this month, the LibDems caved and abandoned their case. They could now have to pay former BBC journalist Campanale’s costs, which are estimated to be at least £250,000, plus damages, to be settled at a further court hearing.
An internal party email shows that Ed Davey’s office took immediate charge of Campanale issue in January 2022, but allowed the matter to escalate even after he was advised by a local party official that the allegations against Campanale were “baseless and distorted”.
Campanale’s court claim provided evidence of repeated breaches of the law by Taylor.
‘Spanish Inquisition’: Taylor sent messages and made phone calls to Campanale which were submitted as evidence in the court case
Taylor has yet to issue any comment on the outcome of the case. He has only been a ward councillor for Sutton West and East Cheam ward since May 2022, and he is not seeking re-election to the council next week.
Given the circumstances by which Taylor managed to secure selection for the Sutton and Cheam parliamentary seat, following this devastating defeat in the courts, he is sure to face demands for his immediate resignation from Westminster.
In 2024, after attending election hustings with Taylor, Inside Sutton noted: “There’s still lots more to come from the Campanale affair which, were Taylor to be elected, would cast a huge and damaging shadow over his legitimacy as an MP”.
In Parliament, MP Taylor is Davey’s spokesperson on London issues.
In December 2021, Taylor had finished third, and last, in the original LibDem parliamentary selection that was won by Campanale with more than two-thirds of the vote.
Taylor is named nine times in Campanale’s successful legal claim and more than 20 times in the LibDems’ failed defence statement. “He carries responsibility for significant law-breaking,” Campanale said of Taylor today.
Court out: the LibDems’ defence case collapsed earlier this month
The collapse of the Liberal Democrats case was announced yesterday.
The party – with defendants named at local, regional and national levels – agreed to five main points of unlawful conduct as made in Campanale’s claim:
Direct Discrimination (Section 13, Equality Act 2010)
Campanale’s claim said that he had been treated less favourably because of his Christian beliefs on matters of conscience, including marriage, the sanctity of life and the right of MPs to vote according to conscience.
Harassment (Section 26, Equality Act 2010)
Campanale says he was subjected to unwanted conduct related to his religious beliefs that violated his dignity and created a hostile environment.
Indirect Discrimination (Section 19, Equality Act 2010)
The LibDems were said to have applied practices and procedures that particularly disadvantaged Campanale because of his Christian beliefs.
Victimisation (Section 27, Equality Act 2010)
Campanale says he was subjected to detriment after he raised concerns about discrimination through his solicitors.
Breach of Contract
Breaching the party’s own constitution and code of conduct, which require members to “reject all prejudice and discrimination based upon religion or belief”.
Much of the case centred on what he has characterised as an “ambush” meeting held on January 29, 2022, arranged by Ruth Dombey, the former Liberal Democrat leader of Sutton Council (pictured right).
The meeting was held in a very posh house on The Gallop, in Belmont, the home of Lord Graham Tope, the former LibDem MP for Sutton and Cheam.
The meeting was attended by about 30 people, including local officials, councillors and party members, including some who were not from the Sutton and Cheam constituency.
Ex-broadcast journalist Campanale did a spot of secret recording. Such material is only rarely used in broadcast programmes, but is admissible as evidence in a law case.
In Campanale’s amended statement of claim submitted to the court, it says, “Before the meeting, Luke Taylor, member of the ManCo [the LibDems’ local management committee] directly messaged the Claimant [Campanale] stating he should be ready ‘for the Spanish Inquisition’.”
Campanale’s claim states that concerns he expressed to Councillor Dombey about how the meeting would be moderated were ignored.
Campanale’s claim says that he was asked if he was enjoying his “martydom just like Jesus did?” The claim states: “Local party officers made no effort to moderate the discussions or prevent the Claimant [Campanale] from being abused.”
Campanale says that during a two-hour “grilling”, he was branded a “Christian nutter” for saying he would “vote with my conscience” on extending the abortion time limit.
Members told the meeting that they would refuse to campaign for Campanale because of his links with the Christian People’s Alliance. Campanale says he was told: “You are not a liberal.”
Campanale left the CPA in 2012 and says now that he did not agree with its tone or priorities. He maintains that throughout the selection process he was always open about his beliefs with both party officials and local members.
Threatening calls: some of the evidence submitted to the court shows Sutton LibDems, and Taylor in particular, as particularly vindictive
The moves to unsettle and deselect Camapanale continued for months, including messages ordering him not to canvass or campaign in certain wards, and being told that his position as a PPC – prospective parliamentary candidate – would not be included in any of the many leaflets that the LibDems planned to deliver around the area.
A phone call made by Taylor, apparently in his role as a party official, was also noted by Campanale and included as evidence in his claim.
Today, following the Liberal Democrats’ admission to his complaints, Campanale said on his personal website, “This landmark victory establishes important precedent for protecting religious freedom in British political life.”
And on social media, he added, “The details I’ve not shared yet are chilling.
“I didn’t know that Maoist struggle sessions really were a thing – until I met the cadre of Sutton LibDems. People literally stood at meetings and read out denunciations and asked me to agree. Against my conscience!”
Read more: LibDem Taylor rattled as questions of religion won’t go away
Read more: Moonlighting MPs spend their time helping out Basher Lewis
Read more: ‘Ghosted’ LibDem Campanale launches human rights appeal
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