The Archbishop of Wales has become engaged in a vocal war against the far-right British National Party (BNP), after leaders from the group made claims about representing Christian values.

In an attempt to draw Christian support for the BNP, party leader Nick Griffin told the Voice of Freedom newspaper that the BNP stands in the tradition of the country's "Crusader ancestors" in fighting the spread of Islamic influence.

"The British National Party will never allow our children to become a minority in their own homeland. Just like our Crusader ancestors, we will fight to preserve our Christian culture and heritage," Griffin said.

In response, Morgan, whose views are shared by other church leaders in the region, told the South Wales Echo, "I really do object to their claim to represent Christian cultural values. Unless you're white and Anglo-Saxon you don't seem to count for very much."

"That runs totally against any Christian understanding of humanity where we believe each person is made in the image of God," he continued.

Morgan's comments have prompted a fuming response from BNP officials, including deputy leader Simon Darby who said, "If these church leaders are not prepared to defend Christianity themselves, they should not complain when someone else does just that."

"It's all very well people like the Archbishop talking about defending Christian values but at the end of the day they are not prepared to do anything about it. He should probably be prosecuted under the Trade Descriptions Act," Darby continued

"Whole swathes of London, for example, are no longer Christian, and people like the Archbishop have been quite happy to stand by and see churches turned into mosques," he said. "If someone doesn't stand up for real Christian values it won't be a Christian country for very much longer but an Islamic republic."

Church leaders have retorted by saying that true Christian values promote unity rather than division, and have urged the British people to be careful in their party support for upcoming elections.

"We are firmly opposed to any kind of incitement to hatred, fear of the other, or suspicion of our neighbour – whoever he or she may be," said Guto Prysap Gwynfor, president of the Union of Welsh Independent Churches. "We would urge people to vote according to their conscience and support politicians and policies which best reflect and uphold the values of the Christian Gospel."

"In Wales, we have a long tradition of neighbourly respect and concern for other cultures and beliefs. This need not conflict with our desire to uphold our own faith and culture," he said.