A respected Kent businessman has sparked outrage with his plans to start a pro-European Christian political party that bans "practising homosexuals" from joining.

Anthony Hayward, from Tonbridge, has been slammed by gay rights campaigners for his proposed launching of the United States Of Europe Interdependent Party at a public meeting next month.

The 72-year-old former Chamber of Commerce president, pictured left, said the main reason for starting the party was to promote the views of non-political organisation The European Movement.

But, as its convenor, he said he intended to run it "on biblical principles" - excluding anyone who committed acts he considered "an abomination of the Lord".

Shockingly, he claims homosexuals will be banned because they are "immoral".

The grandfather-of-four said: "I don’t think it will be controversial on the side of forming a pro-European party - I think there will be lots of people in agreement with that.

"I think it will be controversial about the homosexuality from the homosexuality people, which would be a very small minority of the whole population."

Mr Hayward said he believed homosexuality was "an anti-biblical idea", which contradicted the creation story that woman was created for man.

He said: "There are some that experience the homosexual side of things, both men and women.

"Those of us who have never had that sort of experience don't know what that's like, but we know that it's un-biblical.

"I mean, most of us haven't had the experience of murdering people and things like that, but we know that that is un-biblical as well.

"surely someone who is using the bible to say homosexuality is immoral should open their eyes and read the bible?..." – youth worker steffany mortlock

"A practising homosexual is immoral, just as a person practising adultery is immoral. Most churchgoers - probably 90% at least - would be against this."

His opinions have been condemned as "outrageous" by Steffany Mortlock, 19, who organised a Gay Pride event in Kent last month in response to reports of homophobic abuse.

The youth worker said: "I'm a lesbian, but I also went to church for more than six years and did intense bible study.

"My and my family's interpretation of the bible is being gay is not immoral - only hatred is immoral.

"Surely someone who is using the bible to say homosexuality is immoral should open their eyes and read the bible?

"He has every right not to agree with homosexuality. I don't believe in tumble dryers because they are pointless and wasteful, but I don't impose my views on that to other people. We are not hurting him or anyone else."

Campaign group Stonewall warned Mr Hayward's plans fell foul of the Equality Act, which protects people from unfair treatment on such grounds as their race, religion or sexual orientation.

Head of policy Sam Dick said: "Mr Hayward should really know better - the law is crystal clear that it's illegal to refuse membership of a political party to anyone just because they are gay.

"Perhaps his energies would be better spent on addressing the real issues concerning his local community."

Mr Hayward said the party's constitution would be decided by its members at the launch, which he expected to be attended by a large contingent from the gay community.

He is also hoping that a member of his new party will fight to be the town MP.

He said: "That will be all thrashed out at the first meeting. I would be aiming to simply find somebody - it certainly isn't going to be me - who would be a candidate for the party in the Tonbridge and Malling constituency.

"All this does is clear the air for me that I have done my bit. However it goes, I would accept the democratic findings of it."