Religious freedom showdown in European Court

Nurse Shirley Chaplin, from Exeter, was moved to a paperwork role by the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust in Devon after refusing to remove a necklace bearing a crucifix.

Their case has been supported by Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, who accused the Prime Minister of "turning the value of 'tolerance' on its head".

Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: "Only two months ago he championed the right of Christians to wear crosses in Parliament in response to a question by one of his own MPs, David Davis, on these European cases.

"Yet at the same time he was making that statement, his lawyers were drafting a legal submission to Strasbourg which opposes the rights of all these Christians.

"These lawyers are expected to speak against the right to wear the cross at court today, saying that the Christian faith doesn't demand it, and that it is up to the individual concerned.

"Likewise, Government lawyers will also say that it is not necessary for Christians to demonstrate disapproval of gay relationships in order to maintain their faith."

He added Christians had acted like "doormats" and were facing "new heresy trials".

The case also includes a Relate therapist sacked for saying he might not be comfortable giving sex counselling to homosexual couples, and a Christian registrar who wishes not to conduct civil partnership ceremonies.

Gary McFarlane, a Bristol marriage counsellor, was sacked for refusing to give sex therapy to homosexuals and registrar Lillian Ladele was disciplined after she refused to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies in north London.

The four argue that the actions of their employers contravened articles nine and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibit religious discrimination and allow "freedom of thought, conscience and religion".

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Religious freedom showdown in European Court