MP Paul Burstow has come under pressure not to accept interns from a Christian charity that sponsored a controversial conference suggesting people who were gay could be “cured”.

Christian charity Care (Christian Action Research and Education) caused controversy by sponsoring a conference in 2009, where subject matter included “therapeutic approaches to same sex attraction” and “mentoring the sexually broken”.

Until 2009, Mr Burstow, the MP for Sutton and Cheam and himself a Christian, had taken on several interns from the charity.

More than 9,000 people have become involved in a campaign on website change.org, calling on Paul Burstow and 15 other MPs to sever all links with the organisation as a result of its sponsorship of the event.

Mr Burstow said in light of “allegations” about the charity, if another application was made by Care he would look “very closely at it”.

He said: “I haven’t taken an intern from Care since at least 2009. Any intern that works with me would be subject to an interview by me and would be rated in terms of competence or values.”

Care declined to comment on its sponsorship of the conference.

A spokesman for the charity said: "The Care leadership programme is a well-respected training initiative for Christian graduates in association with placements in the public sphere.

"Parliamentary placements are made under the IPSA Volunteer Intern scheme and are cross party.

"Care seeks prospective placements in the best interests of interns without discrimination and irrespective of the policy or theological views of parliamentarians.

"This scheme is an effective outworking of Care’s Charitable Objects as many of those who have benefited from the training programme go into areas where they make a significant public benefit contribution to society in the UK and around the world."