British public supports bakers in 'gay cake' row, poll shows

A survey has suggested that two-thirds of the public believe businesses have a right to decline orders which conflict with their religious beliefs

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The general public have indicated that they believe business owners should not face legal action for declining customer requests which conflict with their religious beliefs.

A survey conducted by ComRes of 2,000 adults showed that 65 per cent of participants believed that Christian bakers who decline to produce a cake bearing the words “support gay marriage” should not be taken to court.

In 2014 Northern Ireland bakery Ashers refused to take an order for a cake bearing that slogan because of the owners’ Christian beliefs. The owners, Daniel and Amy McArthur, were taken to court for breaching equality laws and last month Belfast's appeal court upheld the legal ruling against them.

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