A long-serving Waitrose employee has been suspended after bosses took issue with his political views on social media – sparking fresh concerns over free speech in Britain.
Ben Woods, 42, has dedicated 25 years of his life to the supermarket chain, having started as a teenager before working his way up to become a respected wine specialist at the Henley-on-Thames branch. But his loyalty seemingly counted for nothing after the retailer accused him of misconduct over a dossier of more than 30 tweets, many of which simply reflect mainstream Conservative opinions.
Ben, who runs the popular Twitter/X account Benonwine, boasts almost 140,000 followers. Among his posts was a repost of a Matt cartoon from The Telegraph, which poked fun at the increasingly radical sex education curriculum. He also questioned whether a book titled In My Daddy’s Belly – which describes a ‘transgender dad’ giving birth – was spreading misinformation.
Waitrose, it seems, was not amused. The supermarket provided Ben with a file detailing the so-called ‘problematic’ posts. These included a joke about a horse next to an obese woman and a poll asking whether Britain should close its borders, which drew more than 4,000 votes.
Waitrose’s parent company, John Lewis, insists its social media policy prohibits anything deemed ‘bullying, harassing, or discriminatory’. But critics argue this is nothing more than a woke witch hunt, designed to silence staff who refuse to toe the progressive line.
A Waitrose spokeswoman refused to comment on Ben’s case, stating only: ‘We would never discuss individuals.’
‘I’VE BEEN THROWN TO THE WOLVES’
Ben believes the real reason for his suspension is simple: his politics.
‘My employer is attacking me because of my personal opinions,’ he said. ‘It’s a witch hunt. They just want to get me out of the way.’
The backlash against Ben intensified after Elon Musk retweeted one of his posts calling for a national inquiry into grooming gangs. The post was seen by 63 million people, catapulting Ben into the spotlight – and making him a target.
He was doxxed, his workplace was exposed, and the threats soon followed.
‘I picked up the phone at work and said, “Hello, Waitrose wine department, how can I help you?”
‘This person said, “We know who you are. We’re going to kill you.”’
Ben has also been smeared as a ‘white supremacist’ and a ‘Nazi’, claims he vehemently rejects.
‘I’m a Conservative. That’s not illegal.’
FREE SPEECH UNION BACKS BEN
The Free Speech Union (FSU) is now supporting Ben’s fight for justice. Elliot Hammer, head of employment law at Branch Austin McCormick, is representing him.
‘Employees like Ben have rights under the Equality Act and Article 10 to manifest lawful beliefs and engage in robust debate about political matters,’ Mr Hammer stated.
The FSU is also backing other Britons punished for their political views – including Saba Poursaeedi, a father of two sacked for supporting Reform UK. His employer, Hightown Housing Association, dismissed him for political beliefs ‘in direct conflict’ with their own ‘values’.
HELP BEN FIGHT BACK!
Ben has now launched a crowdfunder to fund his legal battle. So far, he has raised £7,000 towards his target, but he needs more support to take on woke corporate censorship.
‘Waitrose want to discipline me for around 30 tweets, but they’re really just Conservative, patriotic views,’ he said.
His posts included a poll on border control, a joke about Labour MPs dressing sloppily, and a request for people to describe Angela Rayner in two words.
‘I thought criticising politicians was part of democracy? Seems not.’
Ben’s disciplinary hearing is set for later this month. He fears he will be sacked – not for any genuine misconduct, but for daring to stand up for his beliefs.
‘Waitrose say they never knowingly undersell. But they’ve sold me out.’
If Ben loses his job, he plans to sue for unfair dismissal and discrimination.
Help him fight back against this attack on free speech! Donate to his crowdfunder here: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/defend-my-right-to-freedom-of/
Read more about Ben’s case on the Free Speech Union website here: https://freespeechunion.org/fsu-member-suspended-by-waitrose-for-tweeting-conservative-views/
Photo: Published with permission.
