Stephen Crabb has defended his record on gay marriage and his links with the Christian charity CARE.

The work and pensions secretary, who is an outsider in the race to be next Conservative Party leader, has been criticised for voting against same-sex marriage when it was passed by MPs in 2013. But Crabb said the reason he opposed the bill was because of concern over "the narrow issue of protection of religious freedoms".

He said he "totally, totally supports equal marriage in law" and said he was "very happy with the outcome of the vote [to pass same-sex marriage in 2013]".

He added: "I don't want anybody in society feeling second best. I don't believe that being gay is a sin."

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme the former Welsh secretary was also forced to defend his links to the Christian public policy charity CARE, which in 2009 co-sponsored a conference which included a speaker who showed support for 'gay cure' therapies.

Crabb, who has boasted of his working class heritage, first entered politics through an internship organised by the charity. Subsequently as an MP he employed interns in his office organised through CARE's scheme.

But he said the idea he supported gay cure was "entirely fabricated" and "a complete falsehood".

He went to say he did not know if CARE endorsed the idea that gay people can be cured but said he found the idea "reprehensible".

He said: "It is certainly not part of my Christian outlook."

A spokesman for CARE said: "In its long history CARE has never, and does not, advocate for gay cure.

"The co-sponsoring of a conference in 2009 was not intended to indicate in any way support for gay cure therapy." He went on to say the conference was on wider issues of sexuality, not on gay cure, and no one from CARE was in attendance.

Conservative MPs will vote for their chosen candidates on Tuesday in the first round of ballots. Voting will be open between 11am and 6pm with the result expected about 7pm. The candidate with the fewest votes will drop out.

Tory MPs will continue to vote every Tuesday and Thursday until two candidates remain. That direct choice will then be given to Conservative members.