THE Christian Legal Centre’s Fruitcake-in-Chief Andrea Williams is deeply unhappy over a decision to allow a man to take his employer to a tribunal on the grounds he was unfairly dismissed because of his views on climate change.
Environmentalist Tim Nicholson
She thinks that the case of Tim Nicholson might open the floodgates to legal challenges by people who are not religious, but hold deep-seated philosophical, ethical or moral beliefs.
“We really can’t have these sort of people using the law to compete against genuinely religious folk claiming discrimination at work”, was the gist of Williams’ objection when she was asked about the case earlier this evening on BBC Radio 4.
And she told the Daily Mail, which headed the story Now Judge puts green beliefs of a worker on par with Christianity:
When a country abandons its Christian heritage then what happens is there is no legal and moral framework for decision making. In a world of human rights, all kinds of religious and philosophical views compete and it leads to legal and social chaos.
Nicholson, 42, of Oxford, was made redundant in 2008 by Grainger Plc in Didcot, as head of sustainability.
According to a BBC report, the environmentalist said his beliefs had contributed to his dismissal, and in March a judge ruled he could use employment equality laws to claim it was unfair. But the firm appealed against this ruling, as it believed his views were political. The company felt that “green views” were not the same as religious or philosophical beliefs.
After yesterday’s hearing at the Employment Appeal Tribunal in London. Nicholson said he was delighted by the judgement for himself and other people who may feel they are discriminated against because of their views on climate change.
His solicitor, Shah Qureshi, said:
Essentially what the judgment says is that a belief in man-made climate change and the alleged resulting moral imperative is capable of being a philosophical belief and is therefore protected by the 2003 religion or belief regulations.
Mr Nicholson was given permission in March to make his claim under the Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations 2003 that covers
Any religion, religious belief, or philosophical belief.
Grainger corporate affairs director Dave Butler said:
This decision merely confirms that views on the importance of environmental protection are capable of amounting to a philosophical belief.
Grainger absolutely maintains, as it has done from the very outset of these proceedings, that Mr Nicholson’s redundancy was driven solely by the operational needs of the company during a period of extraordinary market turbulence, which also required other structural changes to be made within the company.
Grainger rejects outright any suggestion that there was any other motivation relating to Mr Nicholson’s beliefs or otherwise.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Ohhh… what a pickle we have here!
An eco-mentalist claiming that his beliefs are the ‘same’ as religious ones… you know, beliefs that cannot be proven, but dumb folks choose to believe them all the same… I’m sure the eco-fascists will have something to say on the matter too…
But, are they really so different? Both camps want to force us to adopt an archaic way of life for the sake of their beliefs, both use flimsy (at best) evidence to back up their dubious claims, both are prepared to use violence and hatred as weapons, both are headed up by swivel-eyed loons with no common sense… the list goes on…
Oh, by the way, I’m all for sustainability, recycling, green living and all that… just not Idiots telling me how to live my life. I maintain the right to choose, thank you
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Well yeah, except the evidence for man-made climate change is substantial and backed up by scientific study, and the common sense position is to trust the evidence. So really, they’re not at all similar. And you still have the right to choose no matter how vocal they are about their views on the environment. They’re not stopping you. So is it really that you just want them to shut up?
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:58 pm
You’re missing the point, guys. This is brilliant, because it’s likely to bring the whole stupid edifice of religious legislation crashing down. The guy gets legal protection because his philosophy has a moral dimension. Same goes for any serious political belief. Someone who wants, say, higher taxes on the rich is taking a moral stance (by and large). So is a libertarian who wants smaller government. And so on. Let the hacks of the MSM focus on the smaller point about greenery. Rejoice that a bad law that panders to bigots has been weakened – in the long run – by Mr Nicholson’s triumph.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:02 pm
You’re right, and yes, I Do!
I ‘choose’ to be sensible, I don’t own a car, recycle as much as possible, and promote environmentally sympathetic living… I use common sense, and am capable of reading and understanding the science for myself. Thank you for asking…
BUT I still have to live with lefty greens and religious nut-jobs telling me what to do and pushing their own, often violent and disruptive agendas. Go on, call me a heretic and start foaming at the mouth…
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:44 pm
I’m not so sure about bringing down religious legislation, the religions bully and whine about discrimination and then their mates in Government cravenly give in to grant them exceptions. Mr Nicholson may have swallowed the whole current wave of greenwash but he is to quote a well know phrase: a useful idiot.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:16 pm
We’ve been saying this all along, and even some rationalists have poured scorn on the idea, but here is the evidence that you can now invent whatever loony religion you like (and I tend to agree with DannyJ on this one!) and your “beliefs” have got to be deferred to, however daft. “My religion forbids me from working between the hours of sunrise and sunset, and my employer is being quite intransigent and unreasonable by insisting that I do this, even though I find it morally reprehensible and offensive, and believe that it will lead to the complete breakdown of Western society!” Hahaha!!! Both Valdemar and Angela_K are right – two cheers for the barmpot!!
November 4th, 2009 at 1:42 am
My, the religious whackos get mighty uppity when anybody dare challenge their special rights and status in society. They really think they should be able to have special exemptions, that nobody else can claim, to any law/rule/regulation. What egotistical ninnies.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:32 am
Andrea Minichiello Williams is so frustrating. While she pathetically worries about exposed crucifixes, loud worship singing and homophobic old women, she fails to see the incredible danger this beautiful planet is in. No normal educated person is interested in her bigoted views and it is about time she shut up and socialised with the fairies instead.
November 4th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Translation of Williams’ guff:
“Waaaah! I’m not special anymore!!!!”
And I would like to thank Barry for having the forebearance not to illustrate this article with a photo of the old witch.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:14 am
By this standard, belief in UFOs, homeopathy, 911′Truth’, vegetarianism, etc are all deeply held personal beliefs. This ruling could get really crazy really fast
November 5th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
How dare you call me a fruit cake. I stand for Christian Concerns and Jesus. I uphold the right for all Christians to speak the truth and am passionate that our voice is heard. In these wicked days, when Christian beliefs are being eroded, it is the Gospel of Christ that needs to be shouted from the roof top! info@ccfon.org
November 5th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I agree. Fruit cake has substance to it and is beneficial to human existence!
(This can’t really be the stupid bat, setting herself up like this – surely!!).
November 5th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Everyone has the right to speak the truth (and just because you read it in a book, doesn’t make it the truth honey) just as everyone has the right to spout crap, it would seem! To paraphrase you Andrea:
“We have a God given right to bad mouth fruit cakes.”
November 6th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
I’m certain the web-master could reveal if the post accredited to AMW [aka the bigoted fuitcake] is in fact the real thing – we can have some fun if it is. Sadly, it will probably turn out to be that toss pot Bob or one of his mates.
November 6th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Angela, the post you referred to was indeed a spoof – but it did not come from Bob or one of his cohorts. Mental Bob hasn’t the intelligence nor the wit to indulge in such mischief. It came, in fact, from a reader who has no love at all for Williams, and I see no point in unmasking the wag.
November 6th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
It should be made a Criminal offense to impersonate a Christian.
No doubt some evil Atheist.
Jesus weeps.