Conservative leader Michael Howard has defended the traditional family unit as the best environment in which to bring up children.

The move is being seen as a defence of his decision to vote against allowing gay couples to adopt.

"All the evidence - there is a lot of evidence - shows children do better when they are brought up in a stable family background with married parents," he told the BBC's Politics Show.

Howard has already signalled that Tories will be given a free vote on the issue.