Lib Dem candidate 'deselected because of his Catholicism' to sue party

A former Liberal Democrat candidate is suing his party for religious discrimination, accusing it of deselecting him for his Catholic views.

Rob Flello, who was Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South before losing his seat in the 2017 General Election, was selected to stand for the Lib Dems in his former constituency on November 9.

But just days later party officials told him it was “not appropriate” for him to represent them because his views on abortion and same-sex marriage were “not those that would be expected of a liberal”.