In a major legal victory, a Christian advocacy group in Britain has received an apology after an event it planned was barred from a Government-owned venue due to its backing for traditional marriage.

In 2012, Christian Concern, which has publicly campaigned against same-sex marriage, organised a debate on that subject which was to include speakers from both sides of the marriage issue. The venue chosen for the ‘One Man, One Woman’ event was to be the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, located opposite the Houses of Parliament in London.

However, on the eve of the gathering, organisers were informed that access to the centre had been withdrawn as Christian Concern’s views on marriage were deemed inappropriate for a Government-owned building.

Now, following a legal action to uphold the right of its members to free speech, Christian Concern has secured an out-of-court settlement and an apology for its treatment.

In a statement, the Department for Communities and Local Government, which holds responsibility for the conference centre said: “The Centre accepts that some people have deeply held views about the nature of marriage, and that every individual has the freedom to express these in accordance with the law…The Centre also respects Christian Concern’s view that marriage should be between a man and a woman, and that view is sincerely held.”

As part of the legal settlement, the Department agreed to host a Christian Concern event in the future.