David Cameron has spoken out in support of a recent High Court ruling against fostering for homophobes. The court upheld a decision taken by Derby City Council, who told Eunice and Owen Jones that their stated beliefs made them unfit to care for children.

“I think Christians should be tolerant and welcoming and broad-minded,” said the Prime Minister, himself a churchgoer. “This matter was decided by a court in the appropriate way and I think we should rest with the judgement that was made.”

The Jones’ refused to comply with guidelines that would prevent them from telling children that gay relationships are wrong. The High Court did not insist upon a blanket ban for the couple, but instead upheld the local authority’s right to “explore the extent to which prospective foster carers’ beliefs may affect their behaviour, their treatment of a child being fostered by them”.

Fundamentalist Christian groups have levelled at criticism at both the Court and the Prime Minister. “The remark will disappoint millions of orthodox Christians who hold the same views as the Johns,” said Mike Judge of the Christian Institute. “They will be surprised that the Prime Minister has taken a swipe at them for believing that sex is only for marriage.”

Former Home Office minister Anne Widdecombe also weighed in on the issue. “It is high time the Government was ‘tolerant and welcoming and broad-minded’ towards Christians,” she declared. “There is no balance at all now – Christian rights have been all but wiped out.”