By Jennifer Matthys – Following the story of Christian youngsters being banned from walking 400 yards to celebrate Easter, an electrician now faces the sack for displaying a cross on the dashboard of his work van. 

The electrician, who works for Wakefield and District Housing (WDH), was told that his cross risked offending those who did not follow the Christian faith. Despite asking Mr Atkinson to remove his cross from the van, one of his managers has a poster of Che Guevara on the wall in the main office!

Wakefield and District Housing is not so flippant towards other faiths and personal beliefs, holding “diversity” days for travellers, and having stands at gay pride marches. The imam from Wakefield Central Mosque has apparently also been involved in events held by the company.

Mr Atkinson has worked for WDH for the last 15 years, during which time he has always had a cross in his van. It is only recently, however, that his employers have found a problem with this, and called him to a disciplinary meeting for gross misconduct.

The company's equality and diversity officer has been quoted as saying, “We must be respectful of all views and beliefs.” It would seem that what she meant was that they would be respectful of all views and beliefs as long as they are not Christian.

She even said that the company would provide extra material in the company colours for “employees who wish to wear a different style of uniform” and said that wearing a burka at work would be seen as discreet. A small cross in the van, on the other hand, is obviously not discreet at all!

Mr Atkinson himself said, “I can only think that the company is motivated by fear of offending ethnic minorities,” which in a normal country would be seen as strange given how a report by the company showed that 51% of their tenants described themselves as Christians, 17% claimed no faith, 30% refused or failed to answer, and all bar 0.5% of the others were spiritualists or other.

Just 0.5% called themselves Muslim, yet we know that it was for fear of offending the minority that the silent majority are stripped of their religious beliefs and views and then face the sack when they try and stand up for themselves.

STOP PRESS: "We're going to take action on this. Enough really is enough. From now on, those who attack the Cross and advance the Crescent will in turn find themselves up against the activists of the British National Party." This is the promise made this evening by Nick Griffin MEP. "The first stage in our campaign starts tomorrow. Watch this website for more details. Operation Fightback is moving up a gear!"