A bishop is urging parishioners to write to their MPs asking them to support the removal of a 50 per cent cap on faith admissions in new free schools.

The Bishop of East Anglia, Alan Hopes, has already written to MPs across the diocese, asking them to support the Conservative manifesto pledge, after its omission from the Queen’s speech on Wednesday.

The cap on faith admissions was intended to promote religious diversity.

“All the cap achieved was to bar the Catholic Church from opening new schools,” Bishop Hopes wrote.