Catholic MPs will be urged to put God before Gordon' by voting down controversial new laws to create animal-human embryos for medical research.

As a Catholic, Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe is set to be invited to meet the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales next week ahead of the debate on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

The legislation has triggered a storm of protest, because it will lift the ban on animal-human hybrids in order to research diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Motor Neurone.

The Catholic Church has also condemned the removal of a doctor's legal duty to consider "the need for a father" when deciding on suitability for fertility treatment.

The move - to make it easier for lesbian couples to have IVF - "radically undermines the place of the father in a child's life", Catholics have argued.

Now Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, has invited up to 70 Catholic MPs to discuss the legislation next Wednesday.

To date Sports Minister Mr Sutcliffe has not been invited.

The unprecedented lobbying campaign follows the Government's refusal to bow to Catholic requests to grant Labour MPs a free vote on the Bill.

Both Conservative and Liberal Democrats will enjoy a free vote, but Labour MPs will be expected to vote through a key part of the government's programme.

Mr Sutcliffe said: "I will be supporting the Government. Obviously I will be listening to what is being said but I am away on a ministerial visit so will not be able to go.

"I think it is right that the church has a view but MPs are there to support the Government."

The Cardinal's lobbying will be condemned by those who argue Catholic MPs must strive to represent all voters, not only those of their own religion.