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15/03/2005
Cardinal supports Howard on abortion view
Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, Head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, has openly supported Conservative leader Michael Howard's personal stance on abortion.
The Archbishop of Westminster welcomed Mr Howard's opinion that the legal time limit for abortions should be reduced to 20 weeks. The current limit is 24 weeks.
Cardinal O'Connor issued a statement in which he described abortion as a "key issue". It stated: "The policy supported by Mr Howard is one that we would also commend, on the way to a full abandonment of abortion."
However, Cardinal O'Connor said that he would not recommend one particular political party for Catholics to vote for.
Mr Howard had given an interview to Cosmopolitan magazine in which he said that it was his personal opinion that the legal limit for abortions should be reduced to 20 weeks.
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy also gave interviews to Cosmopolitan. Mr Blair said that the government had "no plans" to change the legal limit, although he admitted that the debate on the subject would continue. Mr Kennedy said that although he had previously supported a decision to reduce the limit to 22 weeks, he "did not know" what he would to do now, due to advances made in medicine.
The anti-abortion group, the Po-Life Alliance, has welcomed Mr Howard's comments. A spokesperson said: "We congratulate Mr Howard on his new stance even if the proposal is not absolute. He expresses concerns, which are being voiced more and more by the general public in relationship to late abortion, and he then goes on to offer real solutions. Tony Blair, on the other hand, is claiming to be equally concerned but not prepared to do anything about it. It is well known that he voted for abortion up to birth in 1990, so his much-vaunted personal dislike of killing the unborn has never translated into anything positive. Quite the contrary."
The Family Planning Association have reportedly criticised a proposed reduction in the legal limit, questioning the benefits of "forcing" a woman to have a baby.
(KMcA/SP)
The Archbishop of Westminster welcomed Mr Howard's opinion that the legal time limit for abortions should be reduced to 20 weeks. The current limit is 24 weeks.
Cardinal O'Connor issued a statement in which he described abortion as a "key issue". It stated: "The policy supported by Mr Howard is one that we would also commend, on the way to a full abandonment of abortion."
However, Cardinal O'Connor said that he would not recommend one particular political party for Catholics to vote for.
Mr Howard had given an interview to Cosmopolitan magazine in which he said that it was his personal opinion that the legal limit for abortions should be reduced to 20 weeks.
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy also gave interviews to Cosmopolitan. Mr Blair said that the government had "no plans" to change the legal limit, although he admitted that the debate on the subject would continue. Mr Kennedy said that although he had previously supported a decision to reduce the limit to 22 weeks, he "did not know" what he would to do now, due to advances made in medicine.
The anti-abortion group, the Po-Life Alliance, has welcomed Mr Howard's comments. A spokesperson said: "We congratulate Mr Howard on his new stance even if the proposal is not absolute. He expresses concerns, which are being voiced more and more by the general public in relationship to late abortion, and he then goes on to offer real solutions. Tony Blair, on the other hand, is claiming to be equally concerned but not prepared to do anything about it. It is well known that he voted for abortion up to birth in 1990, so his much-vaunted personal dislike of killing the unborn has never translated into anything positive. Quite the contrary."
The Family Planning Association have reportedly criticised a proposed reduction in the legal limit, questioning the benefits of "forcing" a woman to have a baby.
(KMcA/SP)
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