Daniel and Amy McArthur, both committed Christians who own Ashers Bakery in Northern Ireland, have won the case in the Supreme Court.

In 2014 Mr Gareth Lee approached Ashers Bakery and placed an order for a cake to be iced with the slogan “Support Gay Marriage”. But two days later Mr Lee was told by the head office of the bakery that Ashers wouldn’t make his order because the slogan was “inconsistent” with the McArthurs’ religious beliefs. Mr Lee, backed by the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland successfully sued the bakery, and won the McArthur’s appeal. The Christian Institute has supported the McArthurs and the case was eventually taken to the Supreme Court who today ruled unanimously in favour of the bakery.

The UK’s highest court has ruled that there was no political discrimination as well as no discrimination based on Mr Lee's sexual orientation. The five justices who travelled to Belfast were unanimous in their judgement. The president of the Supreme Court Lady Hale said:

“The bakers’ objection was to the message, and not to the man. It was not that Mr Lee was being refused a job or accommodation or baked goods in general, because of his political opinion. The evidence was that the bakers were quite willing to employ and to serve gay people.”

When the case started at the Supreme Court in May, Daniel McArthur said:

"We didn't say no because of the customer; we'd served him before, we'd serve him again. It was because of the message. But some people want the law to make us support something with which we disagree.”

Today, Mr McArthur said:

“I know a lot of people will be glad to hear this ruling today, because this ruling protects freedom of speech and freedom of conscience for everyone."