'Send them all back' | Tribunal rules Salvation Army worker fairly dismissed over refugee comments

A Salvation Army support worker who told colleagues that refugees should be sent back “on a f*****g boat” was fairly dismissed for gross misconduct, an employment tribunal has ruled.

The tribunal found that the comments were “inflammatory, offensive and is considered racist”, and that dismissing the employee fell within the range of reasonable responses open to the charity, given his role supporting refugees and other vulnerable people.

Refugee comments made at Dundee hostel

The case concerned Charles Markie, 56, who had worked for The Salvation Army for nearly 20 years as a social services worker at Strathmore Lodge, a hostel in Dundee that supports homeless people, including refugees.

The tribunal heard that on 5 March 2024, during a discussion about housing shortages and new local authority rules, Mr Markie became angry and said: “there wouldn’t be a housing shortage if we weren’t taking in 150 refugees” before adding: “send them all back on a f*****g boat”.