Bus driver sacked for being member of the BNP wins legal battle claiming dismissal was a breach of his human rights

Mail Online:

  • Arthur Redfearn was sacked from his job driving a bus in Bradford, West Yorkshire
  • Judges ruled his employer Serco breached Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights – the Freedom of Assembly and Association
  • BNP leader Nick Griffin tweeted his congratulations to Arthur Redfearn

By Rachel Rickard Straus

PUBLISHED: 07:38 EST, 7 November 2012 | UPDATED: 09:56 EST, 7 November 2012

Victory: Arthur Redfearn won his case in the European Court of Human Rights Victory: Arthur Redfearn won his case in the European Court of Human Rights

A bus driver who was fired for being a member of the BNP has won a long legal battle claiming his dismissal was a breach of his human rights.

Arthur Redfearn, 56, was sacked from his job in Bradford, West Yorkshire, where he drove mainly Asian adults and children with disabilities.

Judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled today his employer Serco Ltd dismissed him only because of his membership of a political party.

This breaks Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights – the Freedom of Assembly and Association, the chamber of the court ruled.

The seven judges came to this conclusion on a 4-3 majority.

The court said neither passengers or colleagues had complained about Mr Redfearn, who was considered a ‘first-class employee’ before his BNP membership became public knowledge.

‘The Court was struck by the fact that he had been summarily dismissed following complaints about problems which had never actually occurred, without any apparent consideration being given to the possibility of transferring him to a non-customer facing role,’ it added.

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5 Replies to “Bus driver sacked for being member of the BNP wins legal battle claiming dismissal was a breach of his human rights”

  1. I don’t agree with the BNP because they are a genuinely racist organisation.

    However, if his political beliefs did not interfere with his job then it is not right to fire him unless they believe that his political beliefs may cause him at some time in the future to turn against, or offend his Asian passengers.

    But, you could use the same argument with Islam.
    To be entitled to have a Muslim belief as long as it doesn’t affect your job unless it is believed that at some time in the future it is believed that your Muslim belief could cause you to turn against or offend your non-Muslim clients.

    Which is most likely, a BNP supporter performing an act of terrorism because of his belief, or a Muslim performing an act of terrorism because of his belief?
    I know what the statistics would say.

  2. Chris Knowles of Leeds City Council was recently(ish) fired from his job because of his association with International Civil Liberties Alliance and his stance on Shariah Law. He is appealing the decision. There is a video on GoV that documents the clamping down on freedom of speech (mainly that which poorly reflects on Muslims) in the US (in contravention of the First Amendment)and elsewhere in the world due to pressure from OIC. I was riveted for all 83 odd minutes of it.