A Green councillor who defied her party’s support for redefining marriage should be “expelled”, an internal disciplinary panel has said.
Councillor Christina Summers, a Christian, has hit back saying the decision is a “typical symptom of prejudice, blatant prejudice”.
With the exception of Cllr Summers every councillor at Brighton and Hove City Council voted in favour of lobbying the Government over the issue.
Discriminatory
Following the vote Cllr Summers was subjected to a disciplinary inquiry. The panel announced its recommendation yesterday afternoon.
Ms Summers said: “The recommendation to expel me has been made. My fellow Green Party councillors now have to vote on it. Of course I don’t want it to happen and I don’t agree with it.”
She added: “It’s discriminatory against Christians. It’s a typical symptom of prejudice, blatant prejudice.
Public
“It raises a big question – can Christians serve in the public realm? They are saying don’t bring your faith into politics.”
Councillor Summers is taking advice from the Christian Legal Centre (CLC) over whether to challenge the decision.
Andrea Minichiello Williams, the CLC’s CEO, said: “The decision to expel Christina Summers and the shambolic nature of the disciplinary proceedings against her reflect very badly on the Green Party.”
Expel
A statement from the Party insisted that the inquiry was not about her religious views or her right to voice her beliefs. It said it was about whether Cllr Summers had breached her undertakings as a candidate.
It said: “The panel does not have the power to expel Councillor Summers from the party or to remove her as a councillor.
“But it has concluded that, in relation not to her speech or vote in the council chamber or her sincerely held religious views but in relation to her breach of her own written undertakings as a council candidate and her recent behaviour towards the party, she should be expelled.”