Keighley MP Kris Hopkins has resigned from a parliamentary group tackling Islamophobia after a Commons security pass was given to an Islamist sympathiser.

Mr Hopkins quit the new All-Party Parliamentary Group on Islamophobia after other MPs and Lords refused to sack the group’s secretariat iEngage.

iEngage is also known as Engage and is a group of Islamist sympathisers which has defended extremists. Its head of research, Shenaz Bunglawala, has been granted a Commons pass in her capacity as the group’s secretary.

Mr Hopkins and Lord Janner, who were chairman and vice-chairman of the group, attempted to remove iEngage within days of the group’s first meeting in November after they were told of iEngage’s political sympathies.

But after failing to do so both felt their positions were no longer tenable.

In a letter to colleagues, Mr Hopkins and Lord Janner said: “It was our belief that the group needs to be seen as above reproach and political leaning in order to maintain trust and confidence in its work.

“Whilst iEngage are perfectly entitled to express their views, we did not believe it appropriate for them to do so whilst continuing to act for the group.”

iEngage said the attack on the group were “nefarious and deranged” attempts to “create a Britain of unequal citizenship for its British Muslim citizens”.