An anti-gay Christian preacher and his daughter have been barred from entering Britain.

Reverend Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas, was going to the UK to protest a performance of the play 'The Laramie Project', which highlights the brutal murder of a young gay man in Wyoming.

The British government said Rev Phelps and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper could spread 'extremism and hatred'.



'Both these individuals have engaged in unacceptable behaviour by inciting hatred against a number of communities,' a Home Office spokeswoman said.

'We will continue to stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country.'



Rev Phelps believes the United States is doomed for tolerating homosexuals, that military deaths in conflicts such as Iraq are god's punishment and organises regular protests at events around the country.

His church achieved notoriety for picketing the funerals of US servicemen.

On its web site godhatesfags.com, the church said it planned to picket a performance of 'The Laramie Project' tomorrow at Queen Mary's College in London.



The play recounts the death of gay university student Matthew Shepard who was killed in Laramie, Wyoming, in October 1998. Rev Phelps and members of his church, mainly made up of his extended family, staged a protest at Shepard's funeral.



'God hates the Queen Mary's College, and the fag-infested UK, England, and all having to do with spreading sodomite lies via The Laramie Project, this tacky bit of cheap fag propaganda masquerading as legitimate theater,' the church's web site said.



British campaigner Peter Tatchell, founder of gay rights group Outrage!, said Rev Phelps and his family should not be banned.

'With their extremist views, they discredit themselves and also bring great shame to the Christian religion,' he said.

