The Conservative Party has been accused of engaging in cancel culture after a councillor was suspended for expressing the Christian belief that “pride is a sin” on social media.
King Lawal, a Northamptonshire councillor, has claimed that the Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) was behind the decision to suspend him from his role over a post on Twitter in which he criticised the radical LGBTQ+ Pride movement from a Christian perspective.
In a now-deleted post responding to images of Pride Parades, Lawal said: “When did Pride become a thing to celebrate. Because of Pride Satan fell as an arch Angel. Pride is not a virtue but a Sin. Those who have Pride should Repent of their sins and return to Jesus Christ. He can save you. #PrideMonth #Pride23 #PrideParade.”
The post also included an image with the Biblical verse Isaiah 3 verse 9, saying: “Whatever God calls ‘Sin’ is nothing to be Proud of.”
For this, the Northamptonshire Tory Party suspended him for 21 days, in a move that Lawal claims was done at the behest of CCHQ, a claim the party headquarters denies.
In addition to being suspended by the Conservatives, Lawal said that he was also forced to resign from his job in the nursing business and was removed as a trustee from an organisation helping children experience nature. The councillor was also reportedly suspended as a member of the Weavers Academy secondary school in Wellingborough, The Telegraph reported.
On top of all that, his local library also prohibited him from hosting a meeting with his constituents.
‘If their moral authority isn’t God, why did they take offence to it and why am I cancelled?’
King Lawal recalls being suspended as a Tory Councillor after expressing his view that ‘Pride is a sin’ on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/0a2l34J1nA
— GB News (@GBNEWS) July 17, 2023
The councillor claimed that the suspensions demonstrated that the UK is no longer a free country for Christians to express their biblical beliefs.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Lawql said: “It is now almost impossible to say something biblically truthful on sexual ethics in UK society without being cancelled and having your life ruined.”
“As the only black councillor in the whole of Northamptonshire, I know what it is like to be in the minority, and I would never discriminate against anyone. I have diligently represented all my constituents; however, I must also be free to express my beliefs without fear.
“What has happened shows that I am not free and that this is not a free country anymore. If it was free, I would be able to speak.”
Tory Cllr Jason Smithers, the leader of North Northamptonshire Council, said: “North Northamptonshire Conservative Group are an inclusive group. We continue to be committed to reducing inequality within our communities and creating a fair and inclusive environment for everyone. We fully support our LGBTQ+ community, as we support all communities.”
The incident comes amid a broader assault on Christians within the United Kingdom, with pro-life activists being arrested while silently praying outside abortion facilities and street preachers facing prosecution for “misgendering” members of the public.
The Church of England itself has been accused of attacking core tenets of the faith as well, with the second highest ranking bishop in the country, Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, recently branding the Lord’s Prayer as “oppresively patriarchal” for referring to God as the “Our Father”.
England No Longer a Christian Nation as Atheism and Islam Make Gains – Censushttps://t.co/kTFIWRg67S
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) November 29, 2022