LONDON, March 15 (UPI) -- The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has backed Conservative Leader Michael Howard's stance on abortion.
Howard told Cosmopolitan magazine in an interview published Monday he supports cutting the time limit on abortions from 24 to 20 weeks, saying the current rules were "tantamount to abortion on demand."
Home Secretary David Davis later told Sky News his party would give time for a parliamentary debate on the issue, turning abortion into an electoral issue for the first time in British politics.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy O' Connor commended the Tory position Tuesday and questioned Catholic support for Labor.
Tony Blair had said in the same magazine there were no plans to change the law but "debate would continue" on the "difficult issue."
In a statement, Cardinal O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, said abortion was a "very key issue." He added, "The policy supported by Mr. Howard is one that we would also commend, on the way to a full abandonment of abortion."
O'Connor also said Labor had "developed," challenging the notion that Labor was the natural party of Catholics, before saying, "We are not going to suggest people support one particular party."
