Abortion challenge set to continue

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has added his voice to calls to cut the abortion limit after the next election.

MPs voted this week to keep the present 24-week cut-off, following a Commons debate on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

During a free vote on a number of amendments the most successful - to lower the limit to 22 weeks - was defeated by 204 votes to 233.

But Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, writing in Friday's Telegraph, said the debate within society would continue even though MPs rejected a cut to the time limit.

He said many people are "deeply uneasy" about the fact that more than 200,000 abortions are carried out each year.

He also said people felt concerned over measures in the Bill paving the way for the creation of human-animal embryos and removing the need for a father when women seek fertility treatment.

He wrote: "The politicians may have cast their votes, but is the conscience of the nation at ease with itself?

"Many people are left deeply uneasy and perplexed, profoundly worried about the direction we are now taking."

Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor's comments come after Commons leader Harriet Harman confirmed that Labour MPs would again be given free votes on issues of conscience when the Bill returns to the Commons.

She told MPs on Thursday: "As far as the report stage, it will be dealt with in the usual way.

"If there are any conscience issues, of course, again, at that stage they will be subject to a free vote."

It had previously been announced that Labour MPs would be whipped at third reading of the legislation.