Panel rebuked for anti-Christian comments

An employment tribunal panel member has been formally rebuked for making anti-Christian comments on social media which amounted to misconduct.

A ruling by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office noted that Jed Purkis, a non-lawyer and self-confessed socialist, had been hearing a ‘politically sensitive’ unfair dismissal case involving a teacher (‘Hannah’) and her Christian beliefs.

The teacher’s lawyer applied for Purkis’ recusal, arguing that he ‘appears to agree with a view which expressly advocates for religious discrimination in public life’. The tribunal decided that the whole panel had to step down.