A church leader has claimed Labour has become contrary to the spirit of Christianity.

Father Ray Blake, of St Mary Magdalen in Brighton, said faith communities in Brighton and Hove were being overlooked in favour of the city’s “hedonistic gay lobby”.

The Roman Catholic priest, whose church is in Brighton Pavilion constituency, stated he did not believe any of the parties standing for election locally represented his religious views.

Writing in a blog to his parishioners he said: “I always used to vote Labour but I think that is impossible now, so contrary they have become to the very spirit of the Christian faith.”

He added: “It is very tempting in Brighton for political candidates to pander to the more vociferous elements of the hedonistic "gay lobby" and ignore the "faith" communities and their concerns.

“If that happens in the next election that would be more than foolish. Those who can get themselves out to church on a Sunday can normally get themselves along to vote.

“It is really quite outrageous how ignorant most politicians are about our faith despite, its contribution to western artistic culture and thinking.”

Father Blake added he would like to get a group of Catholics together to work out which party he could vote for.

But parliamentary hopefuls have claimed that elected representatives act on behalf of whole communities.