Conservative MP Bob Blackman has responded to David Cameron’s support for religious same-sex marriages by suggesting the prime minister should resurrect Section 28, a notorious piece of anti-gay legislation passed under the Thatcher government.

It banned the “promotion” of homosexuality in schools and was repealed by Tony Blair’s government.

On Friday afternoon, Mr Blackman, who represents Harrow East in London, told the BBC News Channel that David Cameron’s backing of religious same-sex marriages was wrong on “principle”.

Mr Blackman went on to say how marriage is “between one man and one woman” and then stated that re-introducing Section 28 would be more appropriate than pushing ahead with marriage reform.

The MP said: “A very small number of people have same-sex relationships where children are involved… there may be some. The key point is what is happening in schools particularly to very young children, what they’re educated and what they’re told.

“I was one of those that strongly believed that Section 28 was the right rules to have in school so that we should not promote in any way shape or form promote same-sex relationships, I still abide by that and feel thats the right way forward, and if teachers are forced to say same-sex relationships are equivalent to heterosexual relationships I’d be very opposed to that.”

On Friday afternoon, Tony McNulty, Harrow East’s former Labour MP tweeted that Mr Blackman was a “complete idiot!!” with another tweet saying: “So sorry my failure let this abominable fool become an MP. Lets make him a one-term wonder.”