Cooper: Standing by posts
A senior HR adviser sacked by City firm CMS last year [1] for posting anti-Islamic and anti-transgender comments on X is suing it for discrimination on the grounds of belief.
Dan Cooper, who was a prospective Reform Party councillor at the time, is also claiming unfair dismissal in a case set down for a seven-day hearing in July 2028.
His X profile said: “Family man. Professional. Film Maker. Anti Islam. Only two genders. Pro UK farming. Reform candidate for Boston Coastal Lincolnshire.” That is in deputy leader Richard Tice MP’s constituency.
Responding to one X user’s question ‘What do you feel when someone calls you Islamophobic’, he replied: “Nothing, because it isn’t a thing. It’s a made-up word. I hate Islam. It’s a 7th century barbaric cult. I don’t fear it. I loath it.”
In another tweet, he wrote: “If you are over 18 and think you are transgender then you have a mental illness. If you are 8 and think you are transgender your parents have a mental illness.”
Mr Cooper made no reference on X to his work for the law firm, nor on LinkedIn to his political views.
The connection was made by a social media account called ‘Reform Party UK Exposed’. Mr Cooper then deleted his social media accounts but he was fired by CMS.
Writing on his new crowdfunding page [2], he said: “CMS sacked me because in their view ‘the posts are highly offensive and discriminatory’ but I believe I was sacked simply for expressing my gender critical and Islam critical beliefs.”
He said he stood by his posts, noting that being gender critical was protected in law.
“The right to express legitimate and non-threatening criticism of religious or philosophical beliefs – including Islam or any other belief system – should also be a key part of freedom of expression in a democratic society, however as we all know that is slipping at the moment and we are at risk of losing our ancient civil liberties and freedoms.
“As I say, my Islam critical beliefs are towards the ideology of Islam, not an attack on muslims as individuals.
“CMS did not attempt to say that my conduct at work was in any way inappropriate. At no point did I engage in any conduct targeting individuals in my workplace.
“I simply expressed protected views about matters of public debate — outside of work as part of my political campaigning – and for this I was dismissed and lost my livelihood that had taken so long to build, just because I wanted to stand up for my country and try to protect it and build it back up to what I believe it can be.”
Mr Cooper argued that “if employers are allowed to sack staff for protected gender critical beliefs – or for expressing criticism of any religion as an ideology – then we are all at risk”.
He is represented by Elliot Hammer, partner and head of employment at London law firm Branch Austin McCormick.
Mr Hammer acted for the Free Speech Union when it intervened in a Court of Appeal case last year on free speech, Higgs v Farmor’s School. The court overturned earlier decisions and found in favour of a teacher who was sacked after sharing Facebook posts criticising plans to teach LGBT+ relationships in primary schools.
Mr Cooper is trying to raise £150,000 to pay his legal fees, saying that “without your help, it will be extremely difficult to hold CMS to account”. As of yesterday, £458 had been pledged.
We have approached CMS for comment. In a statement it issued last year, the firm said: “We took prompt and decisive action as soon as we learnt about the nature of the individual’s offensive remarks on social media.
“The views expressed on their personal social media accounts are their own and do not represent those of the firm.
“At CMS we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our colleagues and we will be supporting all the individuals affected by this.”