HR executive sacked by top law firm after posting 'I hate Islam' and calling transgender people 'mentally ill' sues for discrimination

By AIDAN RADNEDGE, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 10:30, 28 July 2026 | Updated: 10:30, 28 July 2026 An ex-human relations executive at a top law firm is suing for discrimination after being fired for saying 'I hate Islam' and branding transgender people as 'mentally ill'. Dan Cooper, who previously put himself forward to be a Reform UK candidate, is bidding for £400,000 in compensation from his former employers CMS.  His LinkedIn has described him as a 'welfare ambassador' who previously served as 'senior HR business partner' at the company that employs 9,000 people globally and is among the top five largest law firms in the world.  Mr Cooper's claim is set for an employment tribunal but not until July 2028. He says he was unfairly discriminated against for his political opinions. Mr Cooper's posts online included one on X saying: 'I hate Islam. It's a 7th century barbaric cult. I don’t fear it, I loath it.'  He replied to Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana with: 'You are a race baiting, uneducated stain on this country.' He has also called for Britain to end military funding support for Ukraine, branding that country's president Volodymyr Zelensky a 'coke addict'. Dan Cooper, who previously put himself forward to be a Reform UK candidate, is bidding for £400,000 in compensation from his former law firm employers CMS He also posted: 'If you are over 18 and think you are transgender then you have a mental illness. If you are 8 and think you are transgender your parents have a mental illness.' He lost his job at CMS in March last year.  Mr Cooper has now launched an online appeal to gather funds for his legal case, saying of his comment about transgender issues: 'I stand by this post which is gender critical and protected in law.' He added: 'CMS sacked me because in their view “the posts are highly offensive and discriminatory” but I believe I was sacked simply for expressing my gender critical and Islam critical beliefs. 'I now intend to pursue a legal claim for: (1) Unfair dismissal (2) Discrimination on the grounds of belief (protected under the Equality Act 2010).' He told the Telegraph: 'I am delighted to now have the opportunity to set the record straight in a court of law and fight for my right to free expression of thought and speech in the workplace.'  Mr Cooper had wanted to stand as a Reform UK candidate in May's council elections, but the party led by Nigel Farage announced his membership suspension.  A CMS spokesman previously said: 'We took prompt and decisive action as soon as we learnt about the nature of the individual’s offensive remarks on social media. Dan Cooper (pictured) was fired from his role as HR executive at law firm CMS in March 2025 The firm took action after being alerted to posts he sent on X, such as this response 'The views expressed on their personal social media accounts are their own and do not represent those of the firm. 'At CMS we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our colleagues and we will be supporting all the individuals affected by this.' A Reform UK spokesman said ahead of the recent council polls: 'Nominations for May’s local elections have not yet opened therefore no one is officially a candidate for Reform UK yet. 'We set and expect the highest standards from our candidates, therefore Mr Cooper will never be a candidate for Reform UK and his membership has been suspended.' CMS has been approached for comment.