Lee v Ashers Baking Company Ltd and others [2018] UKSC 49 was a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom discrimination case between Gareth Lee and Ashers Baking Company, owned by Daniel and Amy McArthur of Northern Ireland.

Lee brought the case after Ashers refused to make a cake with a message promoting same-sex marriage, citing their religious beliefs.

[2] The court held that people in the United Kingdom could not legally be forced to promote a message they fundamentally disagreed with.

[1][4] In 2014 Gareth Lee, a gay rights activist, placed an order with Ashers Baking Company, a Belfast bakery,[5] for a cake decorated with the slogan "support gay marriage" as same-sex marriage was illegal in Northern Ireland at the time.

[6][7] The McArthurs, who are Christians, declined the order and refunded Lee's money, saying they could not make a cake that supported something they found offensive to their religious beliefs.

The hearing was suspended temporarily when the Attorney General for Northern Ireland requested the case be referred to the Supreme Court due to a conflict between European human rights law and Northern Irish equality law.

[2] Ashers then appealed to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, supported by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland.

[14] The Coalition for Marriage[15] and the Christian Institute, which covered Ashers' legal fees, supported the judgment.

"[13] John O'Doherty, the director of Northern Ireland's largest support organisation for LGBT people, the Rainbow Project, said "We believe this is direct discrimination for which there can be no justification.

We will, however, take time to study this judgment by the supreme court to understand fully its implications for the rights of LGBT people to access goods, facilities and services without discrimination.