THE Archbishop of York has been confronted by gay rights campaigners as he arrived at a cathedral to re-open its Archbishop's Palace.

Dr John Sentamu was challenged outside Southwell Minster in Nottinghamshire by human rights campaigners including Peter Tatchell over the case of a gay clergyman who married his same-sex partner.

Jeremy Pemberton who became the first gay British clergyman to marry earlier this year when he wed Laurence Cunnington can now no longer work as a priest in Nottinghamshire and has been blocked from taking a job as a hospital chaplain in the county.

The decisions are in line with the Church of England's current position on the issue, and were taken by the acting Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, Richard Inwood, who is under the authority of Dr Sentamu.

Mr Pemberton is taking the Archbishop and the Acting Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham to an employment tribunal.

Protesters included his local supporters, members of Changing Attitude, the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement and the Peter Tatchell Foundation.

Mr Tatchell said: "It is disgraceful homophobia to deprive a priest of his right to work because he married the man he loves. Discrimination is not a Christian value."

He urged Dr Sentamu to 'repent' his support for anti-gay discrimination and victimisation of Jeremy Pemberton, saying: "Discrimination is not compatible with Christian values."

Dr Sentamu told Mr Tatchell that at the moment, with a legal case pending, he could not comment.

Mr Tatchell told a BBC radio station: "He can't perhaps comment about the individuality of that particular case, but he certainly could comment on the principle, which is that he has, in the past, supported legal discrimination against gay people."

He said Dr Sentamu had opposed same-sex civil marriage in registry offices, which had got nothing to do with the church but was a civil ceremony.

The Archbishop's spokeswoman confirmed to The Press that he could not comment about the protest at this stage, with the tribunal case pending.

The diocese of Southwell and Nottingham also chose not to comment but said the palace reopening had been a 'memorable day' in the life of the Minster and said people had been there to celebrate the culmination of the significant restoration project.