Bus ad ban was lawful

Adverts proclaiming “Not gay! Ex-gay, post-gay and proud! Get over it!” were lawfully banned from the sides of London buses, the High Court has ruled.

The adverts were sponsored by Christian charity Core Issues Trust in April 2012, in response to gay rights charity Stonewall’s campaign “Some people are gay. Get over it!”.  

The High Court had earlier ruled that the ban was lawful but the Court of Appeal asked Mrs Justice Lang to reconsider the case.

Core Issues claimed London Mayor Boris Johnson had overstepped his authority by instructing Transport for London (TfL) to ban the adverts in a bid to win over gay rights-supporting voters shortly before the Mayoral election. It said Johnson’s communications advisor had hinted to The Guardian newspaper that he told TfL to ban the adverts, and that Johnson’s role was shown by e-mails revealed by a Freedom of Information request.

However, Lang J ruled this week that TfL took the decision even though the Mayor’s office made its views known. 

Core Issues, which seeks to help people who want to change their sexual preference, described the judgment as “contrived and punitive”, and denied that its campaign was an advert for “gay cure” therapy.

Howard Carter, general counsel at TfL, says: “It was our decision not to run the adverts and there was no improper purpose behind our decision. Our decision was justified.”