‘Gay cake’ row to be reviewed by Supreme Court
A bakery that refused to sell a pro-gay marriage cake has had its case referred to the Supreme Court.
Last month, Ashers Bakery was found to have breached the Equality Act 2010 by refusing to produce a cake that supported same-sex marriage.
Northern Ireland’s Attorney General, John Larkin, has now requested the Supreme Court review the decisions of both the High Court and Court of Appeal.
A spokeswoman for Mr Larkin said he had used the powers given to him under the devolution settlement to have the decision reviewed.
“I can confirm that an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court has been listed for hearing on November 22,” she told the Belfast Telegraph.
The bakery, which is owned by born-again Christians Daniel and Amy McArthur, was found guilty of discriminating against a customer on grounds of sexual orientation.
In upholding the earlier High Court decision, Northern Ireland’s Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan ruled: “The fact that a baker provides a cake for a particular team or portrays witches on a Halloween cake does not indicate any support for either.”
The couple had claimed that God considered it a sin to put a pro-gay message on a cake.
Last year, Tesco said it was “reviewing” the relationship it had with the bakery in light of the ruling.
Northern Ireland is still the only part of the UK to be without same-sex marriage because the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has continued to oppose it.
Despite majority votes in favour of its introduction, the DUP has abused the Petition of Concern mechanism to prevent it becoming law.
