#CakeGate

#Soapbox: Why Ashers was right, but the conscience clause was wrong…

Soapbox on February 23, 2015, 12:29 pm

| Readers 2845

From reader AJ Fence I am pro gay marriage and pro cake. I think the conscience clause is a horrid little idea that would declare open season on discrimination against LGBT people and even religious people themselves. However, I do believe Ashers bakery should have the right to refuse to bake the cake in question. The Cake By requesting the the slogan “support gay marriage”, this was a cake making a political statement, not a wedding cake. I believe that if …

Can social conservativism redefine political division in Northern Ireland?

Mick Fealty on January 6, 2015, 4:21 pm

| Readers 1143

You might think listening to some of Northern Ireland’s commentators that in every instance any centre right case for freedom is doomed against a centre left case for equality since the latter is already a done deal: ie, that the centre right loses not simply on merit but because they have no popular support. Yet the largest and (at least by the limited terms of elective democracy) the most successful political party in Northern Ireland is also the least loved by the media. Increasingly it …