Judgment was handed down on Friday 9 February 2024. We did it! We won!!

Background

On 5 February 2022, just over two years ago, I was removed as Green Party Spokesperson for Policing and Domestic Safety by the Executive Committee, which included the current Co-leaders of the Party. An authoritarian clique, upset and angry with my appointment in 2021, was determined to drive me out using every Machiavellian means possible. I had been an advocate for rational Green policy on sex and gender identity and spoke out on issues of discrimination that women were facing simply for wanting to vocalise their concerns.

Judgment of Unlawful Discrimination

You can read the full Judgment from the Judiciary (click on "download file"). His Honour Judge Hellman ruled:

• “I find that by removing him as spokesperson in a procedurally unfair way, GPEx discriminated against Dr Ali because of his protected belief contrary to section 101 of the Equality Act.” (250)
• “Dr Ali’s removal was, in summary, procedurally unfair in that he was dismissed for breaches of the Spokespeople Code of Conduct although GPEx failed to identify, consider, or make findings in relation to any such breaches.” (246)
• “Dr Ali also seeks a declaration that he has been subjected to unlawful discrimination. I grant the declaration sought, although it does not obviate the need for damages.” (274)

The national press recognised the signficance of this legal victory in headlines and stories in their online editions throughout the day and in weekend print editions. Here is just a selection:

• Shahrar Ali wins 'gender critical' court battle against Green Party (BBC News)
• Green Party unfairly sacked spokesman for gender-critical views (The Times also in image below)
• Ex-deputy leader wins ‘gender-critical’ court battle against Greens (The Telegraph)
• Green Party sacked its deputy leader because he believed 'biology was real': Court rules party discriminated against Dr Shahrar AIi over his gender rights views and must pay him £9,100 as he hails 'landmark case' (Daily Mail)
• Green Party Faces Court Heat Over Gender Beliefs Clash (Pink Times)
• How Shahrar Ali beat the trans inquisition (spiked)
• Lessons for HR from Green Party battle with ‘gender critical’ former spokesperson (People Management)

You can also watch my TV interview with Andrew Doyle on Free Speech Nation on 11 February 2024:

Free Speech in Politics

This has been one of the most extraordinarily challenging periods of my life and the finding of unlawful discrimination has been worth it all. But it isn’t just about justice for me. This is about women’s and children’s rights, and our right, within politics, to be able to articulate, ventilate and foster genuine debate on matters of great consequence without fear of disproportionate consequence.

For make no mistake, the consequences of not being able to exercise that right to free exchange of ideas in politics, without harassment or discrimination, is disproportionate.

1. Why should a rapist identifying as a woman be admitted into the female prison estate at risk of harm to female prisoners?
2. Why should a female patient not be entitled to choose the sex of their medical examiner when receiving intimate care or refuse examination by a man?
3. How can we countenance imposing upon schoolgirls the indignity, humiliation and safety risk of having to share changing facilities or showers with boys?
4. Has can a child, without any kind of clinical diagnosis, be pushed into a programme of puberty blockers; to end up, in later years, on a pathway of surgical intervention to remove healthy body parts?
5. Should a woman have the right not to be strip searched by a male police officer who identifies as a woman? Should the police officer also not have the right to refuse to search a suspect of the opposite sex?

These are some of the questions that politics is meant to be able to pose and address, all the better to make good legislation and to avoid the road to legislative hell being paved with good intentions.

Thank you!

I want to thank every single person who made it possible for me to fight this case to the last, morally or through donations time and again. One of my biggest headaches was financial and I knew I would have to run a long campaign to make it to court without having to sell the house after expending all my other assets and life savings.

Thanks to all those friends, new and old, who stuck with me to the last, by promoting my case and cheering me on come what may. One of the biggest, but worthy, lessons in life is knowing who your friends are – the ones you always knew you had, others you didn’t know had your back all along and yet others who disappointed when you most needed them.

Thanks to my witnesses, Julia Lagoutte, Zoe Hatch and Rashid Nix, who really stepped up to the plate when I most needed them.

Thanks to my legal team. What can I say? The stars must have aligned. Liz McGlone, from didlaw is an all round brilliant human being and advocate who manages to combine skilful legal interpretation with options assessment in one sentence in one minute instead of one page in one hour. She has just been recognised as Times Lawyer of the Week as a result of this case!

Thanks to my barrister, Jeffrey Jupp, soon to be sworn in as Kings Counsel. I have never thought it possible to be so extraordinarily well represented, and protected. I was struck by his capacity to expose smoke and mirrors court applications, linguistic clutching-at-straws chicanery, and character assassination of last resort, all of which disreputable tactics were attempted by this Defendant.

Thanks, especially, to my partner. Without her support I simply could not have made it.

Next steps

The was a landmark case, following in the footsteps of Forstater, Bailey, LGB Alliance, Fahmy, Meade and Phoenix: the first protected belief case against a political party, let alone GC. The greater relevance of the case is for spokespeople or representatives of political parties and their protection from belief discrimination over and above what policies and rules are in place within those political parties. Those parties are not beyond the law when it comes to seeking to remove their representatives in accordance with their own rules for alleged breaches of conduct.

I have been a member of the Green Party for over 20 years. The current Green Party of England and Wales is out of control. We need an independent public inquiry into the hostile environment in political parties across the left; and an EHRC probe into the Green Party.

This court judgment is my gift to the memberships of all political parties. Take charge of the destiny of your parties. Here's a great analysis by Nathan Williams in The Critic, for our challenges ahead: How the Greens blackened their name. Instead of groupthink and standing idly by; all of us must think and act.

Thank you from the Bottom of my Heart

An update here is overdue for those who did not see my message on X.

Closing Submissions were completed on 21 November 2023. I've been exceptionally well represented by Jeffrey Jupp, who has truly been an inspiration to me. Liz McGlone at didlaw has also been incredible in every way.

My deepest thanks to everybody who supported my case, both morally and financially — united in their horror at the hostile environment that has become of the Green Party and wider politics towards those with rationally expressed gender critical beliefs.



You helped me to stand tall against this intense discrimination and I could not have gone the distance without you. In a week when the government published a long-overdue consultation on policy guidance for schools' approach to gender questioning children, the consequences of no debate could hardly be more stark for the safeguarding and well-being of inherently vulnerable kids.

It may interest you to know that visitors to my CrowdJustice funder has been consistently 50/50 female/male for much of the course, with excellent representation from all age demographics. This has been a popular and vital cause for all right-thinking people. £116, 398 has been raised in total through individual donations through across my crowdfunders for this case.

I have done everything in my human power to fight the oppressive fanaticism in my party. I suffered injustice and I seek justice for all our sakes. I have been phenomenally well served by my legal team. I could not have prayed for a better, stellar team.

We await judgment.

Wishing you a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year, meantime.

Hugs, Shahrar xx

Nearly there!

This legal case is nearing its conclusion (and climax). Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your help every step of the way. A phenomenal sum of £111,473 has been raised through CrowdJustice thanks to you!

The date that was set for the final trial day to hear Closing Arguments has had to be rescheduled. This will now take place on 21 November 2023, the next available date that all parties could make.

I still need your help to raise a few more thousand pounds to cover all the legal preparations for this final day. The stretch target shows clearly what needs to be raised within a short space of time. Many of you have donated several times and I am forever grateful to you for that.

At such an advanced stage of litigation, I will not be responding to press reports such as in BBC News today, Green Party plans to double membership fees amid legal woes (BBC News, 30 Sept 2023).



I have however commented on the recent ill-conceived comments by Scottish Greens' MSP Maggie Chapman, as reported here, Maggie Chapman blasted by Greens member over 'regressive secrecy' in trans children row (Scottish Daily Express, 23 Sept 2023).

Child well-being and safeguarding is everybody's business. We should not tolerate any politician, nor self-professed Green, trying to stop parents being told about their own child after they have cottoned onto the fact that the school has already kept them in the dark over their well-being. Managing gender identity claims in school is not an exception.

We are Worthy of Respect in A Political Party

Thank you more than I can possibly express for continuing to support my gender critical discrimination case against the Green Party. This case is our opportunity to lay down a legal landmark that our gender critical belief, and its expression, is Worthy of Respect in A Political Party.

Across the political spectrum, women and their allies have had to suffer and endure unrelenting abuse, harassment, expulsion and worse for expressing themselves calmly and rationally. In my own case, I have done so wholly consistently with Green Party policies and ethos.

Indeed, it is I who is standing up for the interests of the Party not my detractors, far from, nor their enablers.

For the good of our democratic politics, it is imperative that we win. I will not let you down!

Dear Supporters,

We've come a long way. Since Feb 2022, a total of £108,095 has been raised through CrowdJustice!



I could not have come this far without you and I'm asking for one final push, please. Can you help me raise a further £5,000 over the next five days? This is specifically to cover the additional cost of preparations for the extra trial day on 2 October 2023, where closing arguments will be heard by the Judge.

I really don't know what I've done to deserve such an incredible legal team. I am still in awe of Jeffrey Jupp, my barrister over the five-day trial in August. Liz McGlone, too, of didlaw has been exceptional in every way. They are integrity personified.

Maya Forstater demonstrated that Gender Critical belief is Worthy of Respect in a Democratic Society. I want us to put down a marker that we are Worthy of Respect in a Political Party, too - from whatever party.

I remain appalled at the deafening silence of politicians in response to the outrageous harassment of Maya, Helen Joyce and others earlier this week in Manchester.

I will not let you down. Please continue to donate as we head for the final day on 2 October.

Warmest regards,

Shahrar

Dear Supporters,

Five days of witness evidence and cross-examination have concluded. The Judge has adjourned to Monday 2 October 2023 for Submissions and Closing Arguments.



Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible messages of support throughout what has been an intense week. I can barely express my gratitude to my phenomenal legal team, Jeffrey Jupp and Liz McGlone. Their commitment to this case has been truly an inspiration to me.

I mention them also because you deserve to know how wisely and effectively your donations have been spent.

There is one further legal step remaining in what has been a long legal road. The stretch target is at £70,000 and if you can help me to reach the extra 5k over the next seven days that will really help us to manage this final legal part, which represents an extra day in court beyond what was originally budgeted for.

As he adjourned, the Judge expressed positivity about there having been observers and Twitter journalists present. For those of you interested, you can read Tribunal Tweets' daily account here Shahrar Ali vs Green Party (NB not a transcript).

Further coverage of this case from the BBC Green Party taken to court over gender critical row. (BBC, 23 Aug 2023)



Thank you so much for your continued support!

Warmly,

Shahrar

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow we go to trial! Next week, 21-25 August 2023, the Green Party will be in court to hear the case that they have discriminated against my gender critical protected belief.

Eighteen months ago, I could barely have imagined I would have made it this far. I've had an incredible response to my appeal for legal funds. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous donations. In total, £102,153 has been raised through CrowdJustice (including the first crowdfunder, since superseded).

I will put up the stretch target incrementally only out of necessity. The current target on this page is £70,000, which should take us through into the heart of the trial period. I will be adopting radio silence throughout the trial so please continue to donate here in the absence of further appeal notices.

Today, in The Sunday Times, you can read about the significance of my case in setting down a legal marker that gender critical belief is Worthy of Respect in A Political Party in Former Greens deputy takes party to court in row over trans views  (Times, on line ed., 19 Aug). Also available on an archive or shorter print version below.



My case is also covered in Daily Mail in Ex Green deputy set to sue party after he was sacked from his position 'due to views on gender' in a 'fanatical clampdown on legitimate debate' (Daily Mail, 20 Aug)

You can watch me on GBNews, from earlier this week, discussing the Danish Medical Association research recommendation to move towards more holistic, evidence-based, psychosocial approach in the treatment of pediatric gender dysphoria instead of a "gender-affirming" model of experimental drugs - following the exponential rise (8,700%) of children being referred to clinics over last decade.



I will never forget your commitment to making it possible for me to fight for sanity and truth in this Kafkaesque environment. I will not let you down.

Please continue to donate here: we are all Worthy of Respect in A Political Party (crowdjustice.com).

Dear Supporters,

We are just four days from trial. On 21-25 August 2023, the Green Party will be in court for discriminating against my gender critical protected belief.

I've had an incredible response to my appeal for legal funds. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous donations. In total, £97,220 has been raised through CrowdJustice. I do still need your help to raise another £10,000 in order to be able to pay the costs of all the preparation for trial, which has been superlatively expedited by didlaw.



You can read about the significance of my case in setting down a legal marker that gender critical belief is Worthy of Respect in A Political Party in Appeal for Legal Funds as Landmark Case to Defend Free Speech Heads to Court. (Daily Sceptic, 17 Aug)

You can read my comment on the recent resignation of Robin Harper, the first Green parliamentarian in the UK, in The Greens are Doing Politics Differently: but not in a good way. (Holyrood Magazine, 8 Aug)

I will never forget the support of all those who have made it possible for me to fight for sanity and truth in this Kafkaesque environment. I will not let you down.

Please donate here if you can, preferably today. We are all Worthy of Respect in A Political Party (crowdjustice.com).

My Dear Friends,

Last weekend I had an incredible response to my appeal for legal funds. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous donations. I know many of you have given more than once. After raising £20,000 in 72 hours, I was able to sleep a little easier.

As you can imagine, there are many final preparations being conducted by my amazing legal team: collation of witness statements, evidence disclosures and legal representations into the trial bundle; and, continued use of legal advice and correspondence with the Court. Much of this is nearly complete and could not have been achieved without your support.

Then there is the cost of trial itself.



I do still need to ask for your help. The current stretch target is £60,000 and if everybody who pledged last week could manage half as much again that would be phenomenal.

This week Robin Harper, the first Green parliamentarian in the UK, resigned his membership of the Scottish Green Party, describing them as having "lost the plot" and citing the continued oppression of those who wanted to talk about gender identity legislative reform.

Yesterday, members and supporters of the Green Party of England and Wales launched the Green Declaration for Women's Sex-Based Rights. Members are becoming more vocal and confident to speak out and organise against the extremist silencing tactics of a faction and their harassment of those who would dare to express true views of relevance to life and law.

This test case has the power to accelerate a return to mature politics, too, for the sake of the dignity of women, safety of children and freedom of speech across the political spectrum.

Maya Forstater demonstrated that Gender Critical belief is Worthy of Respect in a Democratic Society. I want us to put down a marker that we are Worthy of Respect in a Political Party, too.

I will not let you down. Please continue to donate as we head for the courtroom in just two weeks time.

Worthy of Respect in A Political Party (crowdjustice.com)

Dear Friends,

We are just three weeks from trial. This is a test case with the power to affect us all.

In my twenty years in politics, never have I witnessed such a descent into authoritarian abuse and intimidation as these last few years.

Those who have dared to express their Gender Critical protected belief in the political arena have been subjected to the most appalling treatment.

In the Green Party, I have been subjected to so many vexatious and weaponised complaints I have lost count - including seven since litigation began!

I have been subjected to intense, sustained campaigns of institutionalised bullying, facilitated or perpetrated at the highest levels of the Party.

I was unjustly removed as a national Spokesperson for the Party - discrimination which is at the heart of this case.

This trial will blow a lid on the idea that the Green Party does politics differently. Yes, we do, but by God, not in a good way!

My case is strong and will be going the distance but I need your help more than ever. To everybody who has supported my case, since I launched litigation 18 months ago, please dig deep and give again if you possibly can.

I need to raise 25-30k by 14 August 2023, one week ahead of the start of trial itself. That means £10k per week for the next three weeks. I have put the stretch target up to £50k for this week. If you can help me achieve that, I will put it up again next week.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. I will never forget your help in my hour of most need. We can do this! There is much at stake.

A link below to my live TV interview last weekend, should there be any doubt about my resolve.

On 23 July 2023, I was interviewed live on TV (Free Speech Nation) discussing the background to my case and the necessity of standing up against authoritarianism for a democratic politics: whether for the rights of women to self-organise to defend their safety and dignity, or to protect children from failures of medical due diligence in "gender affirming" healthcare. Do check out my interview on YouTube (below) or Twitter.



We are just four weeks from trial. On 21-25 August 2023, the Green Party will be in open court for discriminating against my Gender Critical protected belief. In Mayor's and City of London Court, Guildhall, you will learn of the intensity and ferocity of the sustained campaign of discrimination, abuse and oppression I was made to suffer and endure, perpetrated and facilitated by members, elected officers and representatives at all levels of the Green Party, including at the very highest level.

I am indebted to you for your continued support and thank you from the bottom of my heart. To date, £68,005 has been raised through CrowdJustice (including funds raised before I changed legal firm). I still need your vital help to see this through and will never forget your generosity and commitment to defend the causes of freedom of democratic speech, women's rights and child safeguarding.

You may be interested to know that data on the sex of my donors is exactly 50/50 female/male (on a very large sample). I think this shows that the fight for women's sex-based rights and children's safeguarding is a fight for everybody. Women have proud male allies, and I am one such.


You can rest assured your hard-earned savings have been and will continue to be used effectively and wisely in pursuit of justice. I could not ask for a more brilliant legal team, headed up by Liz McGlone of didlaw, pictured with me below following a successful Pre-Trial Review hearing in July 2023.



I will never forget your help and support in my greatest hour of need. Please continue to donate at Worthy of Respect in A Political Party (crowdjustice.com). 

Trial Dates 21-25 August 2023

This case is going the distance. Trial dates have been set for 21st to 25th August 2023, to be heard in the Central London County Court at the Royal Courts of Justice. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for believing in me since I launched this case in January 2022.



At the heart of this case is discrimination of a political party spokesperson on the grounds of gender critical philosophical belief - yes, the common or garden belief that sex is immutable or that there are two sexes in human being homo sapiens and what might naturally flow from that in terms of policy or common sense. I need your continued support to get this to trial in its closing stages.

The harassment and discrimination I have faced over several years, culminating in my removal, in 2022, as Green Party Spokesperson for Policing and Domestic Safety, was perpetrated and facilitated at all levels of the Party. I am not the only one facing this hostile environment for defending the right of women to speak freely on matters of great concern to them, such as around their sex-based services or protections.

But as a spokesperson, the injustice I was made to suffer and endure has particular relevance to the democratic mandate of our political parties, and their capacity to allow, if not foster, an environment that protects freedom of speech. Such freedom is essential for the proper functioning of our representative democracy and production of well-drafted legislation that takes full account of the rights or interests of all stakeholders across society.

Escalating Violence & Deafening Silence of Greens

Last month, in Auckland, Kellie-Jay Keen was nearly crushed to death by a rabid mob, after having had a substance thrown over her head and deciding to evacuate the platform. At the same location, a 70-year old woman sustained multiple blows to the head after a savage attack by an ideological fanatic. Those perpetrators were not the "right side of history" and nor are their apologists.

These incidents made me feel deeply ashamed of my party and the political left. I asked:

Meantime, at the Scottish Green Party conference, members and elected representatives were apparently rejoicing at the treatment meted upon Keen. I challenged party members, both sides of the border, and this was met with further derision or doubling down.

We learned of a horrific massacre in Nashville, Tennessee, perpetrated by a transman. Tellingly, Hale was referred to as a "woman" by media outlets, abroad and here. Reporting double standards aside, questions remain unanswered about the role of transgender ideology in the radicalisation of the shooter.

I read not a single condemnation of the violence perpetrated upon women in Auckland, or against the evil, wanton mass murder of children in Nashville, from a spokesperson or politician of the Green Party. I am reminded of the deafening silence of spokepersons as the Challenor scandal unfolded, in 2018, as if we were in the grip of a mental straightjacket that prevented us from questioning for fear of conclusions that didn't fit the easy, virtue signalling narrative.

Let Justice Prevail: Worthy of Respect in A Political Party

Whilst today I may be ashamed of my Party, it is doubly important to challenge in court the discrimination I have had to suffer and endure for holding gender critical beliefs. This is a fight for freedom of speech in all our political parties, especially where the rights of women and of vulnerable children are concerned.



We are just weeks from trial. The year to date has seen much progress for this case - which is strong - with preparation of files for disclosure and witness statements. I couldn't possibly ask for a more profoundly competent and skillful legal team - full of integrity, professionalism and purpose.

Please continue to help me raise the necessary funds to finish this vital course of action. To show that our views are Worthy of Respect in a Political Party. Only give what you can afford and thank you for all the incredible messages of support on the Crowdfunder: they really help to keep me going.

I may not have chosen this case but it has certainly chosen me. Please continue stand by me to see justice prevail over discrimination.

Big thanks & hugs from Shahrar xx

Going the Distance

Bringing in the New Year is a time for reflection and regrouping. In February 2022, almost a year ago now, I launched this legal case against the Party for whom I had campaigned for over two decades.

At the heart of this action is to challenge the discriminatory abuse of power and process that led to my unjust removal as nationally appointed Spokesperson for Policing and Domestic Safety. On 4 February 2022, despite receipt of our Letter Before Action, the Green Party removed me from post following an intense campaign of harassment and discrimination, which involved or directly implicated party officers and representatives.

This case is strong and will be going the distance: as win we must! I have been subjected to deliberate, coordinated, and strategic targeting because of my gender critical beliefs, which are protected in law. I have been vocal in support of women’s rights and their right to self-organise, resolute in the protection of children from failures of medical due diligence, and an advocate for clarity of language in relation to sex and gender.

You would have thought that any rational defendant would have taken extra care and caution to desist from continued harassment through its offices or officers, especially following Forstater, Bailey and interim Cass. But no, there has been no let up in the ferocity of attacks from within the party. Here are just two examples from 2022:

20 July 2022: Attacked by a serving London Assembly member & deputy leader candidate.

16 Oct 2022: Attacked by a regional officer to one of our national governing bodies, who was forced to remove their defamatory tweets on 3 Dec 2022 following representations by me.

I have also had to defend myself against allegations of "transphobia" fabricated by representatives of the Scottish Green Party and propagated within GPEW. See Scottish Greens told reason for England and Wales party split amid trans row is 'for the birds', 19 Oct 2022.

My case is also about defending the rights of others in the party. I was recently featured in The Sunday Times alongside other Greens facing this hostile environment, including the democratically selected general election candidate for Sheffield Central, Alison Teal, Gender row 'stops Greens focusing on climate change', 27 Nov 2022.

In December 2022, I was a co-signatory to a letter in The Times alongside a group of peers questioning the controversial entry by the Cambridge Dictionary to the definition of "woman", "What makes a Woman?" (Times, 17 Dec 2022).

Funds Required for Disclosure stage and Preparation for Trial Summer 2023

I am incredibly grateful, from the bottom of my heart, to everybody who has supported this and the previous crowdfunder; and not just through your pockets, but in your words and deeds. In total, £48,136 has been raised from this platform through 1,549 pledges. I have also put every last saving into this case, but must ask again for more. 

In November 2022, we had the Case and Costs Management hearing and now move to the next key legal stage, that of disclosure. The dates for the trial window have now been set for 1 June to 31 Aug 2023. We need to raise at least as much again by then.

Please give what you can over the next few days and weeks so that my truly exceptional legal team can get to work and make all the necessary preparations to win this case. For the sake of all those not just in politics having to face down this hostile environment; but for the defence of women's sex-based rights and the protection of child well-being and safety, too.

Thank you for everything,

Shahrar (Happy new year and hugs)

Dear Friends,

A deeply heartfelt thank you to everybody who has pledged to Worthy of Respect in a Political Party, which follows on from the previous crowd funder Sex-Based Rights vs Cancel Culture. This is exactly the same case with some change in legal team (which necessitated a change in funding page).

Today Julie Bindel has posted an interview with me, which is already causing quite a stir, for all the right reasons.

Please do take a listen to the full podcast in the link below:

Former Deputy Leader sues the Green Party (substack.com)

I tell my story of Green Party harassment, abuse and discrimination, from the Challenor scandal to today. I explain why I'm fighting for justice: for women's sex-based rights to children's right to protection from medical negligence. We must also overcome the threat to free speech from what has been dubbed "the reverse Voltaire", eloquently explained by Julie Bindel in our interview.

You can continue to support this case by:

• Pledging again, only if you have the means.
• Asking your friends to pledge any amount they can on https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/worthy-of-respect-in-a-political-party/.
• Sharing the page on your social media and encouraging that others do so, too. Alternatively, feel free to share this interview.

We can't do this without you. The next step is preparation for the Case Management Conference and so we have put the stretch target up to £7,000 (which will bring the total amount raised for this case to £45,000).

Thank you so much for your financial support, to date, and especially for the public and private messages of moral support. It means the world to me (as mentioned towards the end of my interview), and to all those I am fighting to defend the rights of, in this landmark case. Hopefully that means you, too.

Hugs and best wishes,

Shahrar