A former Liberal Democrats parliamentary candidate who was allegedly deselected because of his pro-life views spoke at SPUC’s one-day conference in London on Saturday, telling delegates that “it’s nice to be among friends”.
Award-winning journalist and human rights campaigner David Campanale told his story to delegates at SPUC’s one-day conference in central London on Saturday, 28 September.
Mr Campanale is suing the Lib Dems after he was deselected as a parliamentary candidate before the 2024 General Election, also reported by SPUC.
A leaked party document, which appears to confirm Mr Campanale’s case, states that he “expressed religious beliefs against abortion” that “conflicted with the fundamental values set out” by the party.
Speaking on the theme of “Political Purges: What Role for Conscience?”, Mr Campanale told delegates that “I decided not to hide in the basemen… We cannot be a movement that pleads for crumbs thrown from the table.”
He added that he couldn’t think of a better cause to be deselected for than fighting for the rights of unborn children.
Mr Campanale emphasised the need to “challenge the whole ethos” of politics in “a world gone mad”.
Delegates heard about his human rights background, including his work with Lord Alton to amend the abortion limit to 18 weeks in the 1980s. Mr Campanale has also helped to expose the ongoing atrocities, including forced abortion, against China’s Uyghur population.
On his ongoing lawsuit, Mr Campanale explained how, despite being approved to be Lib Dem candidate for Sutton and Cheam, he was deselected for “defending Christian values”. He was told that the party once home to Christians like Charles Kennedy was “over”.
But Mr Campanale has also gained some noted defenders, including Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, who warned that his deselection sets a “worrying” precedent. “It is not enough to preserve one’s private conscientious judgement, it seems; total agreement in private and in public is demanded”, he told The Telegraph.
“Do not be discouraged” by the ascendancy of pro-abortion ideology, said Mr Campanale on Saturday, citing the fall of the Berlin Wall as an example of how injustice and tyranny were finally defeated.
Mr Campanale will also be speaking at SPUC’s one-day conference in Glasgow on 5 October.
“On the right side of eternity”
Daniel Frampton, SPUC’s Editorial Officer, said: “David’s lawsuit is an important test case in the battle for freedom of conscience in the UK, where pro-lifers are on the frontline more than any other group.
“It is a shocking situation when Christianity and its values that underpin our society are marginalised by a party claiming to be ‘liberal’. The human rights that David stands for are a vital part of our Christian inheritance, which all parties should understand and respect.
“While it is more challenging than ever before to express and live pro-life principles, especially in public life, we can all take inspiration from David’s tireless pursuit of truth and justice around the world, embracing not only unborn children but all people who have a right to life and freedom.
“A society is never lost so long as there are good citizens who stand up for conscience, just like St George who, as David mentioned in his speech, refused to recant his Christian faith, deciding instead to be ‘on the right side of eternity’.
“SPUC and its supporters thank David for his thought-provoking address, and we wish him every success in his ongoing case. We look forward to hearing from him again in Glasgow next month.”