A housing officer was sacked for being a Reform U.K. candidate and reposting a Daily Telegraph cartoon after being told Reform’s policies on immigration and Net Zero were “in direct conflict” with his employer’s “values”. The Telegraph has the story.
Saba Poursaeedi, a father of two, is suing one of Britain’s biggest housing associations for political discrimination after he was allegedly fired over his links to the Right-wing party.
His bosses even cited his decision to repost a Matt cartoon from the Telegraph as grounds for his unsuitability for the £37,000 a year job.
Mr. Poursaeedi was dismissed as a Resident Involvement Officer after the charitable housing association told him Reform’s policies on immigration, Net Zero and housing were “in direct conflict” with its own “values”.
Hightown Housing Association has denied Mr. Poursaeedi was sacked for his political views but has admitted his position with Reform was not compatible with “a customer-facing role”.
Hightown held up as evidence a “racist cartoon from the Telegraph newspaper”, which Mr. Poursaeedi had retweeted.
Matt Pritchett’s cartoon published in January last year depicts a housewife wearing a burka in a sideswipe at the prospect of Abu Dhabi purchasing the Telegraph amid concerns over human rights violations in the Gulf State.
There has never been any previous suggestion the cartoon was racist while Matt, the award-winning Telegraph cartoonist, is widely recognised for his gentle perspective on British life.Mr. Poursaeedi claims he was also refused a second job as a damp and mould inspector because of his links to the Right-wing party led by Nigel Farage.
Mr. Poursaeedi told the Telegraph: “I was politically purged. I want this to go through the courts because I want Hightown to be presented with a court judgment that says, ‘you were wrong’.”Mr. Poursaeedi, 36, whose father is Iranian, said: “Everybody is feeling this noose around their neck in terms of what they can and can’t say. I find what’s happened to me so absurd, so insane. This is their mentality and you can’t quite believe it.”
Mr. Farage told the Telegraph: “The levels of prejudice in our public, private and charitable sectors against anybody with patriotic views – like this man losing his job – are staggering. Hopefully, the U.K. will follow America where woke is dying very quickly.”
He said the case had similarities with his ordeal at the hands of Coutts, the private bank owned by NatWest, which decided to shut down his account after compiling a dossier on his political views.Toby Young, the founder of the Free Speech Union, the campaign group funding Mr. Poursaeedi’s legal claim, said: “Saba has been subjected to a political witch hunt. Being an organiser for Reform, a party that one in five Britons say they’ll vote for at the next election, should not be a reason to deprive someone of his livelihood.
“It’s particularly egregious when you factor in that Hightown doesn’t have a problem with employing Labour Party organisers. Hightown should be encouraging its employees to get involved in democratic politics, not punishing them for it.”
Worth reading in full.
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Refirm is not right wing. We are just right.
In fact so far, Right.
“ Resident Involvement Officer”
Non-wealth creating job.
In its treatment of Mr Poursaeedi Hightown Housing Association has gratuitously caused pain and anguish to a man who has done nothing wrong. What is so very twisted about this event is that people who consider themselves to be superior beings think there is absolutely nothing wrong with acting like a bunch of vindictive bullies. They believe they have a free pass to be as spiteful and nasty as they like as long as it supports their warped view of how society should operate. It is the very essence of Woke – be kind, but selectively. I hope these smug, sanctimonious tyrants are taken down several pegs.
Whereas unfair dismissal on sex or racial grounds has no limit in compensation, I believe political grounds are subject to the usual limits.
it might have been better for him to sue on civil contract grounds if breach of his employment contract.
he should cleanse his social media accounts and join the civil service where he would be much better paid.
Why should he have to cleanse his social media accounts? This is the whole issue. Anyone speaking out or acting against the woke/green blob is being singled out for discrimination. Anyone who is a patriot and has traditional values is singled out for discrimination. This is what needs to end. It is political censorship of views which I would confidently suggest are now shared by the majority.
According to the Hightown web pages, its values are
They certainly don’t believe in treating their employees with respect which would include respecting the fact these are entitled to their private political opinions for as long as the keep them out of their job and one can only wonder how much respect conforming Hightown employees could possibly have for people in need with wrong political leanings, eg, the guy who recently killed himself in prison. Wouldn’t they feel inclined to prioritize oppressed Labour supporters from so-called marginalized groups over evil gammons spouting extreme right-wing conspiracy theories?
It would also be interesting to know precisely why Reform is in conflict with any of the ‘values’ mentioned above.
Well it could be worse, he could have worked for the Home Office.
No, but seriously, I have every confidence Toby will see him right. Blatant prejudice and unfair dismissal. Somebody’s political views have no bearing on their ability to do their job effectively. It’s as nonsensical as sacking a Christian for wearing a crucifix around their neck just because you yourself are not Christian.
Meanwhile, you might want to sit down for this, the epic, racist prat that is Humza Yousaf is going after a number of people here. Has he moved from the UK yet like he promised?
”Elon Musk needs to be stopped.
After he fanned the flames of racial division in the UK last summer, I warned that he was one of the most dangerous men on the planet.
Armed with billions and driven by hatred, it is time we confront Musk’s hateful rhetoric, not pander to it.”
https://x.com/HumzaYousaf/status/1877413553725980817
Well then, walk the walk, Yousaf: Confront Musk’s rethoric instead of just sticking labels onto it for preaching to your own choir. I don’t care in slightest what you believe about his hidden motives (“hate”). But I’d be willing listen to you (within reasonable limits) were you actually arguing that he’s wrong about something specific and why.
“Hateful rhetoric”, Yousaf? Examples please, you racist, intellectual minnow. You are hated in Scotland by everyone except the small (and shrinking) number of naive acolytes you have somehow gathered in your wake. You and your vile mentor have been nothing but poison for Scotland.
I’m appalled: making a joke about a man more worried about the cartoons in the Telegraph than what one of his wives has to wear.
Never mind the sexism implied by making women wear heavy black garments when it is forty degrees centigrade. It is very uncomfortable for these women in hot countries and that is assuming that they are even allowed to leave the house.
Someone of Iranian descent, may well have a better knowledge of just what is dangerous racism……or prejudice.
Communist pigs. The left thinks that democracy is only having one party. Scum. Go for the jugular. Demand millions in compensation. Force the organisation to close down. We must fight the left with the same tactics they use. Political and legal war is the only solution
Similar to the case of the couple who had been Foster parents for years, but were “sacked” because they supported UKIP.
Reform is a legitimate political party, now with elected representatives in Parliament. I suspect that Hightown Housing Association are going to have their arses severely kicked when this goes to Court.
I suspect they’ll opt for an “we admit no wrongdoing” out-of-court settlement shelling out some tenthousand £ of other people’s money. That would be the usual procedure.
Perhaps the judge should refuse that option, I believe that they can.
I’m sorry, but everything wrong with Britain is in the job title- ” Resident Involvement Officer after the charitable housing association.” Shoot me now.
his position with Reform was not compatible with “a customer-facing role”
Stupid comment. This can’t be reason enough to sack him. I hope he rinses them in the courts.
Unfortunately the “rinsing” will be of taxpayers.
True.