Final Victory in Islington Registrar Case

4.36.22pm GMT Mon 11th Jan 2010

Cllr. Ruth Polling has welcomed an Appeal Court judgement that registrars registrars have a duty to perform same-sex Civil Partnership ceremonies, regardless of their personal religious beliefs.

Liberal Democrat run Islington Council has welcomed a legal ruling in its favour in the case of Lillian Ladele, the registrar who refused to conduct Civil Partnerships between same sex couples.

In December the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by Ms Ladele, ruling Islington Council had acted lawfully in expecting all its registrars to perform the ceremonies and indeed had a duty to require them to do so.

The Court of Appeal refused permission for Ms Ladele to appeal their decision to the Supreme Court and awarded costs to Islington Council.

Cllr Ruth Polling, Executive Member for Equalities, Islington Council said:

"This is very welcome news. The judgement is the right one as it confirms all public sector employees must carry out their duties without discrimination and Islington was right to insist this of all our staff.

"We are delighted it provides much-needed clarity for employers across the country."

HSLD Chair Arnie Gibbons (himself a former Islington councillor) added: "I must congratulate Islington Council on making a firm stand against religious privilege and pursuing the case to its conclusion."

The Liberal Democrat Humanist and Secularist group have invited Cllr Ruth Polling to speak at their fringe meeting at March's Spring Conference in Birmingham.