Pastors, rabbis and other religious leaders will be subject to Government training and security checks and will have to enrol in a “national register of faith leaders”, under leaked Government legislation.

The proposal, which appears in a draft version of the Government’s new counter-extremism strategy seen by The Sunday Telegraph, would affect Christian ministers and other religious leaders who wish to work with the public sector.

The Christian Institute has warned that it represents an attack on freedom of religion, not seen since the 17th century.

Spokesman for The Institute, Ciarán Kelly, said: “If the reports are accurate, what the Government is proposing turns the clock back on religious freedom more than 300 years.

Read the article “English Government Wants to Register Faith Leaders” on christian.org.uk.