HOWZAT

The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement added that every one of the objections raised by Christian groups and others had been answered, claiming safeguards were already in place to protect religious groups' freedom of speech, and accused the demonstrators of pursuing a "deeply disturbing" agenda against gay men and women.

Mr Tatchell said: "They have a highly selective and overtly homophobic interpretation of biblical morality. If there are going to be laws against discrimination, they should apply equally to everyone.

"It is wrong to give legal protection against some forms of discrimination but not against others. Last year's Equality Act gave full legal protection against discrimination to people of faith.

"Some religious leaders are now demanding that the protection they have secured for themselves should be denied to lesbians and gays. It is hypocrisy and double standards. They want the law to give them privileged protection and for gay people to be treated as second-class citizens.

"If anyone was demanding the legal right to discriminate against Christians, these zealots would be outraged. Yet they want the right to discriminate against gays. They are two-faced homophobes."

The Rev Martin Reynolds, communications director for the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said: "They are setting up straw dogs that they already know do not exist. They have received assurances about the points they have raised. There is a deeply disturbing agenda running in this."

But Thomas Cordrey, a barrister and an employee of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship, strongly denied that the protest was motivated by homophobia.

He said: "What we are saying is very rational and reasonable, which is that these laws do not correctly strike a balance between two competing rights.

"Every country should have to strike a balance. In Canada, for example, the Supreme Court has decided that Christian printers should not be forced to print material promoting homosexual practice as it would be contrary to their Christian beliefs.

"We are saying that if the Government takes care to actually implement this law correctly, we could have elimination of unjustified discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, which we absolutely support, and we could also have the freedom of conscience for individual Christians to be allowed to hold the view that the Bible teaches."

Dr Majid Katme, of the Islamic Medical Association, who himself has organised a petition against the rules, urged Muslims to join protests today, describing them as "unjust".

The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the umbrella organisation representing British Jewry, says that it will play no part in the demonstration and has issued its guarded support for the regulations, which it hopes will "provide a further platform to combat discrimination in this country".

The Board issued a milder statement expressing hope that the new laws must not restrict Jewish community members' "freedom of conscience and conviction" at the same time.

A Board spokesman said: "To my knowledge, there are no Jewish groups who will be participating in the protest."

Explore Law

• Columnists

• Law Panel

• Law Reports

• Student Law

Times Recommends

• BGC 'set aside £40m to lure Tullett brokers'
• Legal aid review to ensure value
• Fears as 21 magistrates' courts face closure