Supreme Court sitting opens in Belfast

The UK Supreme Court sits for the first time in Northern Ireland this week, in its second venture out of London.

Following its sitting in Edinburgh last June, this week's hearings in Belfast's Inn of Court feature two cases with a discrimination theme.

Lady Hale, Lord Mance, Lord Kerr, Lord Hodge and Lady Black will first hear the appeal by Siobhan McLaughlin, who claimed bereavement payment and widowed parent's allowance following the death of her partner Mr Adams. They had lived together for 23 years but never married, and the claim was refused as she did not qualify, not having been Mr Adams's spouse or civil partner. A judge granted a declaration that this was incompatible with article 14 read with article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, but the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland reversed this.

On Wednesday and Thursday the court will hear the appeal of Ashers Baking Co and its owners Colin and Karen McArthur, who were held to have unlawfully discriminated against Gareth Lee when they refused to take an order for a cake decorated with the words "Support Gay Marriage". The appellants maintain this infringes their right to freedom of religion under article 9, and/or freedom of speech under article 10 of the Convention, again read with article 14.

Arrangements have been made for an overflow courtroom with a live video feed, to accommodate the large numbers of the public expected to attend.