Simon Calvert, spokesman for the Institute, said: “It’s very disappointing that Mr Murrison has chosen to intervene in this way. “He appears to be pre-judging the issue and pronouncing Ashers’ guilt without apparently being fully aware of the facts and the law. “Ashers did not turn away a customer, they simply refused to take part in a PR campaign for gay marriage because it went against their religious conscience.

MP Andrew Murrison said that businesses should ‘comply with the law’ which ‘prevents discrimination against gay people’.

The Christian bakers who are facing legal action for declining to decorate a pro-gay marriage campaign cake acted against the law, a new minister at the Northern Ireland Office has suggested.

MP Andrew Murrison said that businesses should “comply with the law” which “prevents discrimination against gay people”.

But Ashers Baking Company says their actions had nothing to do with the sexual orientation of the customer who placed the order.

Refused

The McArthur family, who own the bakery, refused to produce a cake featuring the slogan “Support Gay Marriage” because of their Christian beliefs.

They have been threatened with legal action by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, which claimed they breached discrimination laws.

Speaking about the case to the Belfast Newsletter, Murrison said: “I think if you’re opening your premises for business you have to comply with the discrimination legislation.

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