Franklin Graham, who has called Islam ‘evil’, is due to speak at a festival in Blackpool

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Britain’s leading Muslim organisation has called on the Home Office to refuse a UK visa to a prominent US evangelical preacher with links to Donald Trump and a track record of Islamophobic and homophobic statements.

Franklin Graham, the son of the evangelist Billy Graham, has been invited to preach at a Christian festival in Blackpool this month.

The preacher, who said Trump’s election victory was evidence that “God’s hand” was at work, has called Islam “evil” and “wicked”, claimed Barack Obama’s “problem is that he was born a Muslim” and said Satan was the architect of same-sex marriage and LGBT rights.

The Muslim Council of Britain has joined three MPs, including a government whip, in demanding the Home Office apply its criteria on hate speech to Graham’s visa request.

The MCB said: “In the past the government has banned individuals whom they claim are ‘not conducive to the public good’. Mr Graham’s remarks are on record and clearly demonstrate a hatred for Muslims and other minorities.

“We would expect the government to apply its criteria here. If it does not, it will send a clear message that it is not consistent in challenging all forms of bigotry.”

Fiyaz Mughal, the founder of Tell Mama, which monitors Islamophobia in the UK, said it was shocking that Graham was being given a platform. His views were “regressive and need to be challenged,” he said.

Gordon Marsden, the Labour MP for Blackpool South, said he would write to Sajid Javid, the home secretary, this week to call for Graham to be denied a visa.

“It’s perfectly possible for the government not to admit someone whose presence is not conducive to the public good,” he said. “Graham’s visit to Blackpool is likely to cause considerable offence.”

Paul Maynard, the MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys and a government whip, and Afzal Khan, the Labour MP for Manchester Gorton, have also opposed the visit.

Graham is scheduled to be the main speaker at the Festival of Hope, which opens at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens conference centre on 21 September. The event has been organised by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and is backed by more than 30 local churches of various denominations.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Franklin Graham talking with Donald Trump in February. Photograph: Getty Images

Some churches in the area have objected to Graham’s appearance. Nina Parker, the pastor of Liberty church, which welcomes LGBT worshippers, described Graham’s presence as “extremely destructive” and said it was “causing division between churches and within churches”.

The Blackpool Methodist Circuit said it “cannot support any preaching or teaching which promotes homophobia or is likely to be damaging to interfaith dialogue”. It declined to support the festival “in the light of various comments made by Franklin Graham in the past”.

The independent evangelical Crossgate church in Preston is one of several churches to have withdrawn support for the festival in recent months. “I believe Franklin Graham will come to teach the gospel, but many people are upset by his comments and I cannot stand by those comments,” pastor Ron Farrington said.

Three Blackpool churches are to hold services specifically welcoming LGBT worshippers over the weekend of Franklin’s visit, and a four-metre carnival model of Jesus wearing a rainbow sash will be paraded through the town centre.

In July, Blackpool Transport and Stagecoach scrapped adverts on their buses promoting Graham’s appearance at the festival. Blackpool Transport cited “heightened tensions” and Stagecoach told the Guardian the adverts were not “consistent with our company values”.

Blackpool council said it would forward representations and material it had received from opponents of Graham’s visit to the Home Office.

“The council’s position on these matters is robust and clear. We want to tackle discrimination, promote equality and increase respect and understanding between people regardless of their race, religion or sexual orientation or any such matter that can be subject to prejudice in our society,” said councillor Maria Kirkland.

She said the council had a contractual obligation to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association over its booking at the Winter Gardens, but it would make the association aware of the need to comply with UK law.

“If matters are brought to our attention that could constitute incitement to hatred, we will forward these to the relevant public authorities and should this be proved we will not hesitate to terminate this booking,” Kirkland said.

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The Anglican bishop of Blackburn, Julian Henderson, whose diocese includes Blackpool, said he held a “neutral position” about Graham’s appearance at the festival, but neither he nor other members of his leadership team would attend the event.

He said: “I must be very clear … I do not support any kind of hate speech, including the language of Islamophobia, Christianophobia or homophobia. There is a difference between having a different point of view and expressing hate. Within the Christian ethic there is no room for hate of another person and I do not defend the use of such language.”

The home secretary has the power to exclude an individual whose presence in the UK is not considered conducive to the public good or if their exclusion is justified on public policy grounds.

The Home Office declined to comment on Graham’s visa application. The Festival of Hope did not respond to a request for comment.