Conservative politician Norman Tebbit says he thinks gay sex is a sin because the Bible says so. Speaking to The Conversation, Lord Tebbit, a former Chairman of the Party, said that it was 'doubtful' one could be a Christian and believe homosexual sex not to be a sin.

'I share the same view as [Liberal Democrat Leader] Tim Farron, which is that to be a homosexual cannot be a sin because that is what God has created,' he said.

'But it is perfectly sensible to argue that a homosexual act is a sin' he insisted, 'because that is what the Bible has said from the time of the Old Testament through the New Testament. So therefore, as a Christian, should you dump all that and still call yourself a Christian? It's a bit doubtful.'

Tebbit is seen as part of an 'old guard' of Conservatives, who remain committed to a socially conservative world view. Under successive Tory leaders the party has become more liberal, culminating in the introduction of same sex marriage under David Cameron.

'I opposed gay marriage,' said Lord Tebbit, 'because it is fundamentally not what marriage was set out to be. And I don't like this way of proceeding by simply changing the meaning of a word. We're doing too much of that.'

The interview was published in the same week as reports suggested more than half of Christians now say there is nothing wrong with gay relationships, according to the British Social Attitudes Survey.

The former MP for Epping and Chingford opined on other matters during his interview. He suggested the recent Conservative deal with the Democratic Unionist Party from Northern Ireland was not needed. 'I don't think it was necessary to pay anything,' said Tebbit. 'The idea that the DUP would precipitate another general election in which they might have the friends of the IRA like Jeremy Corbyn in charge? No, they wouldn't have done it.'

Tebbit, whose wife was badly injured in an IRA bomb in Brighton, is also critical of the Northern Ireland peace process, which has led to almost 20 years without violence. 'I think we do take it for granted a bit, because given the chance the IRA would be back again for more. They learnt that violence paid. And, of course, [Tony] Blair surrendered to them.'

In an exchange on Brexit, meanwhile, Tebbit casts it as a significant moment in British history. 'My view is quite simple and goes back a long time,' he says. 'Henry VIII rescued the Church in England from Rome. Elizabeth I rescued Europe from Philip of Spain. The Duke of Wellington rescued Europe from Bonaparte. Lloyd George and co. rescued us and Europe from the Kaiser. Churchill and Attlee rescued us from Hitler. When did they [the EU] ever rescue us?'