An LGBT activist has been removed from the panel hearing the case of a Christian teacher dismissed from her school over Facebook posts voicing concerns about transgenderism and sex education.
Edward Lord will no longer sit on the panel hearing the appeal of Kristie Higgs after being removed by Mrs Justice Eady.
The judge concluded that "the fair-minded and informed observer could not exclude the possibility of bias".
She wrote that there was "a real ground for doubt in the lay member's ability to approach this matter with an impartial and entirely open mind".
"That being so, the lay member would be recused from hearing this appeal," she said.
Mrs Higgs said she was "relieved" by the decision to remove Mr Lord but expressed regret that challenging his presence on the panel has led to a delay in hearing her case.
"He has made many public statements that strongly oppose the Christian beliefs at the heart of my case and I feared that his presence on the panel could lessen my chances of getting a fair hearing," she said.
"However, I am disappointed that because of raising this issue, the full appeal hearing will be delayed again. This is another challenge, however, that I am determined to overcome as I continue to seek justice.
"I am grateful to God for sustaining me this far and am sure that he will provide for all my needs going forward."
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Mrs Higgs in her case said: "Justice must be done and must be seen to be done.
"We faced no alternative but to challenge Edward Lord's involvement in this case.
"It's not hard to see the conflict of interest in this case - a member of the tribunal going out of his way to publicly announce he blocks people on Twitter for expressing concerns on trans issues; the views Kristie was dismissed for."
She continued, "An open, vocal, activist ought to proactively make his or her views known to a judge when he or she is so aggressively opposed to the beliefs at the heart of the case.
"It is profoundly unfair that Kristie has to wait even longer for justice in her case because we were forced to challenge Lord's presence on the panel."
"We will continue to stand with Kristie as she faces this latest hurdle in pursuit of justice."
