Unfair dismissal law – An LRD guide for union reps (December 2023)

Chapter 6

Manifesting offensive political opinions

[page 71]

Someone who is dismissed for simply holding political opinions may have a claim for unfair dismissal and infringement of their right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In addition, some political beliefs may be protected by the Equality Act 2010.

No length of service is needed for a claim for unfair dismissal where the reason or main reason for dismissal is or relates to an employee’s “political opinions or affiliation” (section 108(4) ERA 96; Redfearn v The UK [2012] ECHR 1878).


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