Gay canon Jeremy Pemberton employment appeal granted

Jeremy Pemberton (left) married his partner Laurence Cunnington in 2014

A gay clergyman who lost an employment tribunal against the church said he has won the right to appeal the decision.

Last year it was ruled Canon Jeremy Pemberton was not discriminated against when he was stopped from taking up a new post as a hospital chaplain after marrying his partner.

Mr Pemberton said the Employment Appeal Tribunal will hold a two day hearing.

The Diocese of Southwell has previously said it "remains engaged … in exploring questions relating to human sexuality".

Mr Pemberton, a hospital chaplain in Lincolnshire, was barred in 2014 by the then acting Bishop of Southwell from taking up a job for the NHS in Nottinghamshire.

Canon Jeremy Pemberton was appointed Head of Chaplaincy and Bereavement Services in the Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust but the Church declined a licence

It was argued he defied Church law by marrying his partner Laurence Cunnington.

He took his case to a tribunal claiming discrimination but it ruled in favour of the Church of England in November. A case of discrimination against Rt Revd Richard Inwood was also dismissed.

Mr Pemberton appealed the decision and said he will have a hearing "later in the year."

"I heard from the Employment Appeal Tribunal that they accepted my application for an appeal," he said.

"It's important to appeal because this is a test case and test cases need testing. The judgement given in the tribunal had some things my lawyers felt needed further testing."

The appeal will only consider legal arguments about the case and no new evidence will be heard.