PREMIER Christian Media has issued legal proceedings against the Government after being refused permission to broadcast an advert about Christian marginalisation.

The media group is seeking a judicial review after the rejection of its pre-election radio advert calling on Christians to report marginalisation in the workplace.

The commercial radio advertising body, the Radio Avertising Clearance Centre (RACC), rejected the advert on the grounds that it was political and in breach of the Advertising code.

Premier has disputed the decision, and chief executive, Baptist minister the Revd Peter Kerridge, said the media group felt it had no choice but to stand up for 'freedom of religious expression'.

'Increasingly, we have witnessed Christian marginalisation in this country. Premier has collected over two years of data, all of which confirms that Christians are experiencing marginalisation.

'After great consideration, we have taken the step to issue legal proceedings because the threat of Christian marginalisation must be addressed boldly and directly.

'It's ironic that while trying to shine a light on the issue of Christian marginalisation, Premier Christian Radio has been silenced.'

The media group is running a campaign, freedomofthecross.com, asking the public to share how they have seen the Christian faith be marginalised.

It began to research the question of Christian marginalisation in the summer of 2008, prompted by concern voiced in the media by prominent Christian leaders.

Premier said the 'extensive' research among the general public and Christian community within the United Kingdom revealed a 'concerning pattern of Christian marginalisation'.

For instance, two out of three Christians surveyed accounted more negative discrimination against Christians than people of other faiths, while three out of four Christians perceived that the risk of persecution in the UK had increased over the last five years.

'Perhaps most shocking', Premier continued, was its finding that 60 per cent of active Christians consider that Christians are being increasingly marginalised in the workplace.

A recent Civitas report claims (The Baptist Times, July 23) that the implementation of hate crime laws is biased against white Christians.

The request for a Judicial Review is expected to be answered by October.

Mr Kerridge is asking those who support the group's campaign to sign a declaration of support at http://www.freedomofthecross.com