Christian judge fired over gay adoption remarks will file discrimination lawsuit

A Christian magistrate who was fired for speaking against gay adoption is claiming that he was discriminated against because of his religion and is now suing the U.K. Health Secretary.

Richard Page, 70, is filing a religious discrimination lawsuit at an employment tribunal against Jeremy Hunt under the Equality Act 2010, the Daily Mail reported.

Last March, he was fired from his position as a Justice of Peace (JP) by Justice Secretary Michael Gove and Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas after he commented that it is better for a child to be raised by a man and a woman in a BBC TV discussion. His views have been deemed to be "biased and prejudiced against single-sex adopters."

He was suspended as the NHS Trust director days later after a complaint from a staff member. He has been effectively prohibited from taking up the role of a non-executive director on the board of Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT).

"The recent publicity you have courted is likely to further undermine the confidence staff, particularly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) staff, have in the leadership of the Trust," said KMPT chairman Andrew Ling in his letter to Page.

After Page's term expired, he reapplied for the role of nonexecutive director but his application was rejected.

He lamented that the recent laws passed by the government have made it difficult for him to follow the Bible and hold public office.

"More than 6,500 people signed a petition or directly emailed the Trust to back me in my battle with the NHS, but only one complained about my views," he said.

According to Premier, Page was initially suspended and ordered to take part in a "re-education training" in 2014 when he heard an adoption case in which he disagreed with his colleagues that placing a child under the care of a same sex couple would be in the child's interest.

Page is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC). "Once again we find political leaders washing their hands of Christians prepared to stand up for their faith," said Andrea Minichello Williams of the CLC.