A visibly angry Barack Obama yesterday all but disowned Jeremiah Wright, his former pastor, whose ever more provocative comments are believed to have dented the Illinois senator's hopes of securing the Democratic party's presidential nomination.

Mr Obama, whom opinion polls show to be level with his rival Hillary Clinton in Indiana, which holds what some have billed a "tiebreaker" primary vote on Tuesday, said he was "outraged and saddened" by the Reverend Wright's most recent comments.