UK cities, including Leeds, which are bidding to be crowned the European Capital of Culture have had their hopes dashed by Brussels as a result of Brexit, prompting a furious political backlash.

Five different UK bids were competing to host the 2023 European Capital of Culture, spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on their entries, and officials said urgent discussions were being held with Brussels about the apparent Brexit ban.

Leeds as well as Nottingham, Milton Keynes, Dundee and a joint Belfast-Londonderry-Strabane bid were all in the running for the accolade, which has the potential to provide a significant economic boost.

Downing Street has insisted that non-EU members had been awarded the Capital of Culture before but the European Commission said the decision was "one of the many concrete consequences" of Brexit.

Bradford Council has been supporting Leeds' bid.

Council leader, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, said: “We are very concerned by the European Commission announcement.

"Bradford and the whole of Yorkshire would benefit greatly from Leeds securing this title. We have all been very supportive of their bid.

"Bidding cities are seeking further clarification from the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and we urge the EC to reconsider its position. The Leeds bid is top quality and was made in good faith and therefore deserves to be considered.”

Arts Minister John Glen hit out at the "crazy decision by (the) European Commission", adding: "We're leaving the EU - not Europe! My team at DCMS are speaking with the five cities right now on the way forward."

But a European Commission spokesman said: "The decision to nominate Hungary and the UK as hosts of the European Capitals of Culture for 2023 was taken by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers in 2014, two years before the UK decided to leave the EU.

"As one of the many concrete consequences of that UK decision, UK participation is no longer possible. It therefore makes sense to discontinue the selection process."

A DCMS spokesman said: "We disagree with the European Commission's stance and are deeply disappointed that it has waited until after UK cities have submitted their final bids before communicating this new position to us.

"The Prime Minister has been clear that while we are leaving the EU, we are not leaving Europe and this has been welcomed by EU leaders.

"We want to continue working with our friends in Europe to promote the long-term economic development of our continent, which may include participating in cultural programmes.

"We remain committed to working with the five UK cities that have submitted bids to help them realise their cultural ambitions and we are in urgent discussions with the commission on the matter."

A Number 10 spokesman said Norway, Turkey and Iceland had all been awarded the Capital of Culture despite not being in the EU.

"This would not have been the first time that a country that is not part of the EU has hosted the European Capital of Culture," the spokesman said.

The commission responded by saying the only countries eligible to host the culture capital were EU member states, candidates to join the EU or countries in EFTA/EEA that participate in the Creative Europe programme - and all three of those non-EU countries fall into one of the other categories.