UPDATE

Following on from my little post yesterday about the Tories sacking someone for having cancer, I thought you chaps might like to read this from the Mirror

Sacked by the Tory party for having cancer
By EMILY MILLER
7 April 2007

EXCLUSIVE BULLIED ROSEMARY WINS £38K

A TORY agent has won £38,000 after being hounded from her job because she had breast cancer.

Rosemary Holman said her life was made a "living nightmare" by bullying constituency boss Mike Broomby.

She claimed he picked on her, bombarded her with aggressive questions about her illness and refused to let her work from home.

Eventually he dismissed her, allegedly saying he "didn't care" about her illness. After winning a claim for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination, Rosemary, 48, said: "It's fantastic my suffering has been recognised.

"I cried when the judgment came through.

"This wasn't about money, I wanted to be taken seriously. I was left out of the loop as proceedings against me gathered force."

Rosemary was struck by cancer in 2004 after running admin for Sevenoaks Conservative Association, in Kent, for 10 years. She pressed on at work as long as possible.

She claimed Mr Broomby, 72, shouted at her so much she became terrified of going to the office and had trouble sleeping.

Mr Broomby told a tribunal in Ashford: "I was concerned about Ms Holman's health.

"I sacked her when she failed three times to go to a medical examination."

The party association was ordered to pay £31,936 to Rosemary, of Benfleet, Essex. Mr Broomby is liable for £6,403.

The sum covers pension loss, lost earnings and emotional trauma. The Association denied Rosemary's claims and may appeal.