British former MP Ann Widdecombe has warned that Christians there face increased persecution. Commenting in the wake of the Ashers Bakery ruling, which she described as “something of a nonsense”, Ms Widdecombe pointed out that, historically, being forced to affirm beliefs contrary to conscience is “rightly recognised as the hallmark of totalitarianism itself” and said that the Ashers outcome had been a failure to uphold freedom of conscience. She added that gay rights legislation, and a refusal to allow dissent from it, has led to the closure of adoption agencies, and obstacles being put in the way of Christians becoming B&B owners, adoptive or foster parents, and even bakers. Ms Widdecombe went on to call on people of faith to not “sleepwalk through this” at the risk of seeing more of their liberties removed.