George Galloway has faced criticism for “blatant homophobia” after saying he doesn’t think that gay relationships are equal to heterosexual relationships.

In a clip from an interview with Novara Media, the Rochdale MP said: “I don’t want my children prematurely sexualised at all, I don’t want them taught that some things are normal when their parents don’t believe that they’re normal.”

“Now there’s lots of things not normal, doesn’t mean you have to hate something that isn’t normal. But if my children are taught that there’s – whatever the current vogue number is – 76 or 97 or whatever the number of purported genders that exist, I don’t want my children taught that.”

Mr Galloway leads the Workers Party of Britain and became the MP for Rochdale in February, gaining almost 40% of the vote in a contest mired in chaos and controversy and dominated by the Gaza conflict.

Mr Galloway said he didn’t want children to be taught “that gay relationships are exactly the same and as normal as a mum, a dad and kids”.

He added: “I want my children to be taught that the normal thing in Britain, in society across the world, is a mother, a father and a family.”

“I want them to be taught that there are gay people in the world and that they must be treated with respect and affection as I treat my own gay friends and colleagues with respect and affection but I don’t want my children to be taught that these things are equal because I don’t believe them to be equal.”

Momentum responded in a tweet that Mr Galloway’s comments were “shameful”.

“This kind of blatant homophobia and opposition to LGBT rights has no place on the Left,” the left-wing pressure group said.

Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant tweeted: “A while ago I was heavily criticised for saying that I feel more fearful as a gay man than in years gone by. Gay bashing and prejudice has never stopped but my sense of deep unease has increased significantly recently with moments like this.”

Mr Galloway has previously represented seats in Glasgow, east London and Bradford in the Commons, for Labour and later the Respect Party.