Ashers Bakery loses ‘Gay Cake’ appeal

They were told not making a gay wedding cake was discrimination


Born Again Christian Bakery Ashers has today lost its appeal against the ruling that their refusal to bake a cake supporting the marriage rights of gay people was discriminatory.

The three appeal judges said that under law the bakers were not allowed to provide a service to only people that agreed with the political beliefs of the bakery. Asher’s Daniel McArthur said he was “extremely disappointed” adding that it undermined “democratic freedom, religious freedom and free speech”.

He said: “If equality law means people can be punished for politely refusing to support other people’s causes then equality law needs to change. We had served Mr Lee before and we would be happy to serve him again. We have always said it was not about the customer, it was about the message.”

In contrast however the lord chief justice said: “The fact that a baker provides a cake for a particular team or portrays witches on a Halloween cake does not indicate any support for either.”

The judges ruling was welcomed by Gay Rights group the Rainbow Project.