Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh
I understand that, but I was replying to Arthur's point about not being served.
And I don't believe they were being forced to make a 'public statement' in favour of gay marriage - they were not being forced to display the cake, just make it...
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On the contrary, I believe everything a business does makes a statement of one kind or another. Witness last year's outrage over effective tax rates for a recent example, and the number of businesses that have changed their arrangements (without having been legally obliged to).
Businesses can and do hold political opinions - we have the recent referendum as proof of that.
Businesses can and do support charitable causes of one kind or another.
Many of them make investment and operational decisions based on ethical considerations (use of fair trade ingredients, or selected investment funds, for example).
They may choose to act in ways that they perceive are good for their reputation or the wider social good and they may choose to campaign on one side or another of a political issue if they believe one side or the other favours their aims.
A printing business would be entirely at liberty to refuse to deal with the Labour Party if it favoured a Tory government. Unfortunately the appeal court has agreed with the argument that not discriminating against someone on the grounds of their sexual orientation extends to not refusing to produce campaign material that argues against something that is currently illegal. If the law really does say that, then it is absurd, and I would dearly love to see the McArthurs take this to the Supreme Court where its compatibility with their human rights can be properly considered.