The Liberal Democrats are facing renewed criticism over their handling of Christian candidates after the deselection of a Catholic former MP and an ongoing legal dispute with an evangelical Anglican former candidate.

David Campanale, the former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate and Anglican parochial councillor who brought a discrimination case against the party, has challenged claims by Liberal Democrat frontbencher Lisa Smart MP that the party ‘very strongly welcomes people of all faiths, including Christianity’.

Mr Campanale pointed to the case of the Catholic former Labour MP Rob Flello, who was selected in 2019 as the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Stoke-on-Trent South, a seat he had represented between 2005 and 2017. Within 36 hours of his selection, however, Mr Flello was deselected after his pro-life views and Catholic faith became the subject of controversy. At the time, the party said it was concerned by ‘how greatly his values diverge from ours’.

Mr Flello, a former convenor of the Catholic Legislators Network in Parliament and later chairman of the Catholic Union, had long spoken publicly about his views. He once said: ‘I could no more leave my faith at the door of the House of Commons than I could my name or my gender or my arms and legs.’

Mr Campanale has now disclosed what he says is an internal Liberal Democrat memo obtained through a Subject Access Request. According to the document, a party official wrote of Mr Flello: ‘He can hold those views and still be a member. He can’t hold them and be a PPC [prospective parliamentary candidate].’

Another internal communication reportedly described Mr Flello’s views as ‘illiberal views’ that had ‘surfaced’, adding that he was ‘being replaced’.

The documents were released as part of Mr Campanale’s continuing dispute with the party. He says they suggest a wider pattern concerning candidates holding traditional Christian beliefs on matters of conscience, including abortion.

Speaking to GB News presenter Camilla Tominey on May 5, Ms Smart declined to comment in detail on Mr Campanale’s legal case, describing it as ‘an ongoing legal case’. She also said matters such as abortion and assisted dying ‘are not things we should whip on’ and that political parties should not discriminate against people because of religious beliefs they hold.

Responding to those remarks, Mr Campanale said the party’s public language did not match its internal conduct.

‘The party admitted in a court order signed by His Honour Judge Johns KC that it unlawfully discriminated against me because of my Christian beliefs,’ he claimed.

Mr Campanale added that the newly disclosed documents suggested the issue extended beyond his own case.

‘The party’s own internal documents say the opposite – you can be a Christian member, but you cannot be a Christian candidate,’ he said.

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson also told the Catholic Herald it would ‘not be appropriate to comment’ on an ongoing legal case.

‘The Liberal Democrats are home to people of all faiths and none, including many Christians,’ the spokesperson added. ‘Three Liberal Democrat MPs in neighbouring seats to Sutton and Cheam are practising Christians including party leader Ed Davey.’