The Prime Minister took time off from the General Election to visit the Neasden Hindu Temple to meet volunteers and community leaders and learn about some of their charity work.

Rishi Sunak was given a tour with his wife Akshata to see the traditional Hindu art and architecture, offering personal prayers at the shrine before joining the evening assembly.

“I am completely blown away by the sheer physical beauty of this temple,” he told the prayer hall assembly.

“Neasden Temple is an example of how to inspire a generation of young people to volunteer and support their community.”

He paid tribute to “the contribution that the temple makes” and to the inspiration of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the global leader of the Hindu fellowship, who sent a video message screened during the visit.

Plans were also on show for a similar Hindu mandir in Paris, which Mr Sunak said would “bring communities of different faiths together in tolerant societies”.

The tour followed his visit to Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi during the G20 Summit last year.