Following unprecedented electoral support for the Christian Peoples Alliance party from the Scottish Catholic hierarchy, leading figures in Europe are now urging the Scots to put the first Christian Democrats into the Holyrood Parliament in May's elections.

Last Sunday, the Bishop of Motherwell Joseph Devine said he will vote for the party that best supports Christian values. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme the Bishop said that individuals had to vote with their conscience: "But I will do something else for the very first time, I will indicate the party to which I'm going to vote for, I have never done that before," he added.

"I haven't yet seen the manifestos of the various parties but I have got a shrewd idea it might have something to do with the Christian Peoples Alliance party.

"I'll not ask people to follow me but if they want to take that lead that's fine enough."

Now, the new Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Andre Rouvoet and the former Leader of the Swedish Christian Democrats, Alf Svensson, are both urging the Scots to give their Regional List vote to the Christian Peoples Alliance.

In a message to Scottish voters, Andre Rouvoet, Leader of the ChristenUnie Party in the 3-party coalition in the Netherlands said: "As a Christian-democratic party in the Netherlands, we have a long-standing relationship with the Christian Peoples Alliance. They have made a valuable contribution to Christian Democracy in Europe.

"We have met in the CPA a party with a mature programme and an honest concern for the well being of people. We recommend the CPA to you as a party to trust your vote to for the Scottish Parliament."

Speaking to Christian Democratic supporters who travelled to a rally in the House of Lords, Alf Svensson, who was a government minister in Sweden said: "I am absolutely convinced that Scotland needs a Christian Democratic party. Every society needs ethical values and for Europe, Christian values are natural. I wish the CPA every success in the coming elections. Just continue - victory is in front of you.

"Christian Democrats don't have a monopoly of truth but underline and stress more than any other party the necessity of values. I wish from the bottom of my heart for a successful election result for the Christian Democrats of the UK."

Giving her reaction, Leader of CPA Scotland, Teresa Smith said: "Christian Democracy is an established and successful political force across Europe and it will be only natural for CPA Scotland to play our part in Holyrood. We recognise it is unprecedented in recent Scottish political history for the Roman Catholic hierarchy to signal how Catholics must vote in May. We hope that the electorate will look at our policies as they make their own mind up and vote CPA Scotland."