The new Liberal Democrat leader, who has come under pressure for abstaining on an earlier vote on gay marriage, is asked three times whether he believes homosexual sex is a sin.

Mr Farron was asked three times if he believes homosexual sex is a sin and refused to answer.

Speaking to Cathy Newman on Channel 4 News, Mr Farron was asked whether he believed, as a Christian, that the act of homosexual sex was a sin.

He replied that to “understand Christianity is to understand that we are all sinners”.

Mr Farron, who was elected to lead his party yesterday, has come under pressure in the past for abstaining on a vote on gay marriage. He has since said he supports equal marriage.