Judge rejects claims of alleged bias at employment tribunal

Sara Morrison says she was forced out of her job at the Belfast Film Festival (BFF) after she joined a rally for Let Women Speak in 2023

A judge has dismissed accusations of alleged bias in relation to herself and panel members at an employment tribunal case between the Belfast Film Festival (BFF) and former employee Sara Morrison.

Ms Morrison is taking a discrimination case against her former employer over her views on sex and gender.

During proceedings on Friday, Ms Morrison's legal team launched a recusal application asking the judge and two panel members to stand down.

Following the application, Judge Sturgeon refused the request for her own recusal and that of fellow panel member Michael McKeown. The third panel member, Prof Deborah Boyd, voluntarily asked to step down from the panel for health reasons.

Ms Morrison's barrister, Naomi Cunningham, told the tribunal that one of the panel, Prof Boyd, was a former director of a women's organisation that held a firm view that was adverse to Ms Morrison.

"The fact that Professor Boyd didn't bring it to the attention of parties is concerning," Ms Cunningham told the tribunal heard.

She added that Prof Boyd had taken steps to reduce her online presence to make it more difficult to make an application of this nature.

Ms Morrison has said she was forced out of her job as inclusion and audience development coordinator at BFF after she joined a rally for Let Women Speak in 2023.

The BFF launched an investigation into her attendance, and she left work citing stress before finally resigning.

It is Ms Morrison's view that a person cannot change their biological sex.

She made comments at the rally about keeping men out of women's spaces and criticised a number of local women's organisations.

Her participation led to complaints by the LGBTQ community to the BFF, which later launched an investigation.

She claims in her case, which has received funding from the author J.K. Rowling, that she was unlawfully discriminated against by the organisation over her beliefs on sex and gender.

A barrister for the BFF, Sean Doherty, told the tribunal that he thought the application was staggering.

"The irony is, is that the claimant in this case is saying she was silenced by people making incorrect assumptions about her views, and here we have an application to silence this panel, based on speculation about their views," he said.

Mr Doherty said the actual bias had not been established.

"The application was made on the flimsiest of evidence and a few selective screenshots from the social media profile of Professor Boyd that shows she endorses pride – and she is fully entitled to do so," he continued.

"That is not evidence of pre-determination of any sort."

Judge Sturgeon told the tribunal that her role is to ensure there is fairness and that the tribunal finishes on time.

She told the hearing that the tribunal will continue with two panel members.

The tribunal continues.