LIBERAL Democrat candidate Duncan Hames defended freedom of expression in the Chippenham hustings debate after calls from a clergyman of the town to ban the teaching of Darwinism in schools.

All five of the Chippenham constituency’s general election candidates, gathered in St Andrew’s Church this evening, were responding to impromptu questions from a packed church hall.

Among the queries from the floor - on Trident, foreign aid, Right to Buy and immigration - came a less expected question on the origins of the universe, in which a clergyman blamed Darwin for the Holocaust.

The Rev Melvin Banks, of The Redeemed Christian Church of God on Station Hill, Chippenham, tried to seek assurance from candidates that schoolchildren would be taught the Bible as the truth and that Darwin’s theory of evolution, which he referred to as “evil”, would be struck from the curriculum.

He said: “The South Korean Government, one of the most prosperous countries in the world, recently on the advice of top scientists, have decided to ban the decadent and unprovable theory of Darwin’s evolution in their schools.

"They say it’s the father of permissiveness and sexual decadence. Leaders in the last war said it was their belief in Darwin’s evolution that caused them to carry out the Holocaust against Christians, which caused six million deaths.

“Will the candidates fight to stop this evil theory being taught as the government now wants it to eight-year-olds and above, and instead teach the truth, the sure truth and the Holy Bible, bless His name, of a God created universe?”

The Rev Rod Key of St Andrew’s Church, who was chairing the event, said the question did not fit in with overseas aid and swiftly moved on.

But Duncan Hames seized his next opportunity to speak to give a response, saying he would not be looking to ban the theory of evolution from schools.

He said: “My observation is that places that start burning books tend to turn out to be places where they end up burning people.

“We shouldn’t, just because you may disagree with a theory being taught, seek to ban it, seek to put it aside so that people can’t discuss it.

"Actually the best protection of people who in the Far East are as Christians a persecuted minority, is to have societies where we don’t burn books, where we respect people’s right to religious freedom and freedom of expression. And that is why I disagree with you on your recommendation.”

After the hustings Mr Key said: “The vast majority of Christians believe in evolution, it is a very small minority that doesn’t.”