Christian MP Sir Gerald Howarth said in a parliamentary debate on Monday that if immigrants did not like Britain's Christian values they should move elsewhere.

Sir Gerald was speaking in a debate on 'Britain in the world', part of the commons debates on the Queen's speech, when he said: "Immigration was the No. 1 issue at the election, and I welcome the renewed vigour shown in tackling it, but we must be more determined. Our services simply cannot continue to accommodate a quarter of a million new arrivals a year, quite apart from the serious cultural issues arising from people taking advantage of our liberal society while seeking to impose their medieval ways on us. We are a Christian country: if you despise our Christian values, please leave and go somewhere else."

It is not the first time that Sir Gerald, who is a church warden at the Royal Garrison Church in his Aldershot constituency, has spoken about Britain's Christian values. Last year he made similar remarks during the debate on the Queen's speech with regard to immigration.

While he acknowledged that migration "has not been without its benefits" he referred to the Ofsted report on Birmingham schools following the alleged 'Trojan horse' plot.

He said: "this week's Ofsted report on Birmingham schools has revealed the extent to which people newly arrived here not only reject our values and customs, but want to impose their own on the rest of us

"I have a very clear message for them: this is a Christian country, a tolerant country, we speak English, we shake hands with ladies, and open facial recognition is a key part of our culture. If they find that offensive, they should please feel free to leave and move to a country that is more to their liking—for there are plenty of repressive regimes around the world that clearly are more to the liking of people like that."

There was widespread national debate last year about Britain's status as a Christian country after Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I am proud of the fact we're a Christian country and we shouldn't be ashamed to say so."

Cameron subsequently wrote an article in the Church Times in wwhich he outlined his personal connection with the Christian faith and said "I believe we should be more confident about our status as a Christian country, more ambitious about expanding the role of faith-based organisations, and, frankly, more evangelical about a faith that compels us to get out there and make a difference to people's lives."