Former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe - Ashers Bakery were right to refuse gay marriage cake.

Former conservative minister Ann Widdecombe has came out in defense of the rights of businesses to operate according to their beliefs. Her comments come in light of a possible legal challenge to Ashers bakery based in Northern Ireland.

The company refused to bake a cake with a message in support of gay marriage. Mr. Daniel McArthur, general manger of Ashers said they are happy to bake cakes for anyone, but could not fulfil that particular order as it clashed with the ethos of the business. 

Ms. Widdecombe expressed her views through the Daily Express, “Surely it is an elementary feature of true democracy that nobody should be obliged by law to affirm that which he or she does not believe”, “If the baker had refused merely to bake a cake because the customer was gay then that would indeed have been both unpleasant and illegal but the refusal was specific to the message requested for the cake."

Prime minister David Cameron has given repeated assurances that introducing gay marriage “would not cause discrimination against those who believed it wrong”. David Cameron failed to back religious tolerance and equality when asked about the 'Ashers' case. His response to DUP MP Gregory Campbell during Prime Ministers question time indicated that he was unaware of the potential legal case against the company, however, he did say: 'commitment to equality in terms of people with different sexualities, is a very important part of being British.'

Ms. Widdecombe highlighted the repeated reassurances given to Parliament by stating “What price your assurances now, Mr Cameron?” she posed.

You can read Ms. Widdecombe's article here:

Daily Express article.

By Rev. Paul Thompson