The fact he wanted to be prime minister didn’t give anyone the right to ask him questions about his views, an angry Tim Farron said last night.

Announcing his resignation, the Lib Dem leader hit back at journalists who refused to settle for opaque answers to whether he thinks homosexuality is a sin.

Mr Farron said: “The consequence of the focus on my faith is that I have found myself torn between disapproving of homosexuals and the necessity of people not knowing that I do.

“That is not on.

“Journalists have every right to ask what they see fit. But when a man’s faith isn’t treated like a licence for bigotry, then I’m sorry, we are not living in a tolerant society.

“I tried clever answers, like ‘We are all sinners.’ That would have worked for Jesus. It wasn’t good enough for you though, was it?

“That’s why I have chosen to return to an obscure life in which I hope answers like that will be enough to make gays drop it.”