The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, is supporting a call by Michael Howard for a reduction in the upper time limit for abortion.

"Abortion, for Catholics, is a very key issue, we are totally opposed to it," he said last night.

"The policy supported by Mr Howard is one that we would also commend, on the way to a full abandonment of abortion," said the cardinal.

"It is very important that this debate has been opened into the public arena, both in the lead-up to and after the election," he added.