Keir Starmer has been criticised after visiting a church that has been widely condemned for its attitudes towards homosexuality. The Labour leader went to Jesus House in Brent Cross, north-west London, on Friday and praised it as a “wonderful example” of a church serving its community during the pandemic, including acting as a vaccination centre. In a video uploaded on Twitter, he said: “From rolling out the vaccine to running the local food bank, Jesus House, like many other churches across the UK, has played a crucial role in meeting the needs of the community.” However the church’s senior pastor, Agu Irukwu, has spoken out against same-sex marriage and equality legislation, leading to condemnation from LGBTQ+ groups. In 2006, he signed a letter to the Daily Telegraph opposing laws that would protect LGBT+ people from discrimination and, in 2013, he was one of the signatories on another letter to the Telegraph opposing same-sex marriage legislation. Jesus House is part of the Redeemed Christian Church of God network, a pentecostal denomination founded in Lagos, Nigeria, and operating internationally. In 2017 Theresa May was criticised when she visited the church as prime minister, although Boris Johnson and the Prince of Wales have visited the vaccination centre in recent weeks. Labour sources have told PA Media that Starmer’s visit was focused on the vaccination centre – although the video appears to show him praying with the pastor and the local MP, Dawn Butler. LGBT+ Labour, the party’s campaign group for LGBTQ+ rights, said: “The visit was unacceptable and we made this clear to LOTO (the leader of the opposition’s office). We received an unreserved apology, and will be urgently meeting with them next week to ensure this does not happen again and that LGBT+ equality is embedded in everything that Labour does.” Veteran LGBTQ+ campaigner Peter Tatchell told Pink News that Labour was putting “religion before human rights”. “This apparent bid to appease bigoted churches is outrageous. Keir Starmer needs to make an immediate statement distancing himself and Labour from the homophobia of Jesus House.” A spokesperson for the Labour party insisted that it was “unwavering in its support for the LGBT+ community and a woman’s right to access safe abortions”. They said Labour has called on the government to “stop dragging its feet and ban the abhorrent practice of conversion therapy”.