A Reform UK councillor has announced he is taking the NHS to court after claiming he was “silenced and smeared” for expressing his political beliefs.
Daniel Matchett, a mental health nurse and councillor in Lancashire, accused his NHS trust of stifling free speech after he appeared in a campaign video during last year’s General Election.
Mr Matchett says he was threatened with dismissal and accused of “racist behaviour” after briefly appearing in uniform in the online clip, despite following NHS social media guidelines "to the letter".
Speaking at a Reform UK press conference, he told reporters: “This fight for open dialogue is more urgent than ever.
The Reform UK councillor announced he will be taking the NHS to court
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"Suppressing free speech doesn’t just silence individuals it leaves communities vulnerable to harm.”
He claimed the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust had “no policy” for staff standing in elections and only dropped its case against him after a lengthy legal battle.
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“I was punished for taking part in democracy,” he said. “That should never happen in Britain.”
He explained: "The trust eventually admitted that I had have no case to answer, but by that point the damage was done.
"The momentum of the campaign had been lost, and my reputation had been unfairly called into question. I was left with a legal bill of many thousands of pounds just to defend my right to participate in democracy as a nurse.
"More worryingly, though, is what I have seen and heard since. I know many colleagues and friends who quietly support the the policies of Reform UK, but would never dare say so in the workplace. They keep silent on political matters out of fear."
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He added: "Deputy leader, County Councillor Simon Evans, faced a similar ordeal and was targeted by his employer when he stood for Parliament last year alongside me.
"He saw baseless investigations that dragged on endlessly, only to fizzle out with nothing to show. The process was the punishment.
"So Councillor Evans and I have made the difficult but necessary decision to hold our employees accountable and take them to court.
"We will take Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust to an employment tribunal to reclaim the costs we have incurred.
He said he plans to take Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust to an employment tribunal
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"Defending myself against their actions sets a vital precedent. Institutions gripped by woke ideologies must answer to the law when they stifle free speech, interfere with democracy and silence dissenters.
"No one should be punished for speaking truth to power."
He added: “Free speech is not just a right, it’s the cornerstone of democracy. We are reclaiming it for every voice they’ve tried to mute.”
A Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) spokesperson said: “We do not treat anyone any differently based on their political beliefs and are supportive of all of our colleagues, in line with our values of inclusivity, being a team, kind, respectful and always learning.
“It would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases, particularly those which may be subject to on-going legal proceedings.”
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