Pope storm over 'Third World' UK as child abuse victims threaten protests

The Pope's state visit to Britain was in crisis this evening after a senior aide called Britain a "Third World country".

Cardinal Walter Kasper, 77, was pulled out of the historic trip, already mired in controversy over paedophile priests, after making a series of embarrassing remarks.

He was quoted in a magazine saying Britain was marked by "a new and aggressive atheism". The cardinal also said: "When you land at Heathrow you think at times you have landed in a Third World country."

Cardinal Kasper said "when you wear a cross on British Airways you are discriminated against" — believed to be a reference to BA's dispute with one of its staff over wearing a cross at work.

The Vatican moved quickly to try to limit the damage.

A spokesman said the cardinal had not intended "any kind of slight". Instead, said the Vatican, he was referring to Britain's multi-cultural society.

The Vatican said Cardinal Kasper would no longer accompany the Pope tomorrow as planned but insisted this was "for health reasons".

Survivors of child abuse by Catholic priests attacked secrecy surround possible meetings with victims and Pope Benedict XVI and threatened possible street protests.

Margaret Kennedy, 57, from Dublin, said: "We have been refused three times access to the Pope. This means the only way survivors can meet the Pope is by protesting in the street or behind closed doors, where it's orchestrated, managed, controlled. Abuse is about control.

"The Pope is saying You come to me and you don't tell anyone what I tell you'. It's secret, secret, secret."

Amid a series of protests over the visit, largely funded by the British taxpayer, adults who survived abuse by Catholic priests called for full disclosure of all information held.

Further embarrassment for the Vatican came as Professor Richard Dawkins said he will lead protests against the Pope during his prayer vigil in London this weekend.

In a strongly-worded letter to the Guardian, Stephen Fry, authors Sir Terry Pratchett and Philip Pullman and Professor Dawkins among others condemned the Vatican for opposing the distribution of condoms in Africa, denying abortion to vulnerable women, opposing equal rights for gays and lesbians and failing to address the issue of abuse of children within the church.

Professor Dawkins will join campaigner Peter Tatchell in a Protest the Pope march and rally in London on Saturday to condemn the "cover-up" over sexual abuse and the "sexism and homophobia" of the Catholic church.

Further fuel was added by new disclosures today which suggest that more than half the Catholic clergy jailed for paedophile activity are still in the priesthood. A Channel 4 news report tonight will claim that out of 22 priests who have served a year or more in prison after being convicted of paedophile activity, 14 are still in the clergy, 10 of whom are listed in the Catholic Directory, the church's yearbook. Only eight of the 22 have been dismissed.

The Church said seven applications for dismissal were under way or were due to take place, and three had been rejected by the Vatican or not pursued because of ill-health.

In the remainder, the priests concerned were subjected to "risk management" within the community. The Church also rejected suggestions that it had breached guidelines on punishment of the offenders.

After visiting Edinburgh and Glasgow tomorrow, the Pope will fly to Heathrow tomorrow evening and stay at his ambassador's residence in Wimbledon before spending two days in London.